After larger graphical health warnings, tobacco body raises concerns over plain packaging

Says introduction of plain packaging will lead to a surge in smuggling of international brands into the country

The Tobacco Institute of India (TII), which represents 98 per cent of the country's domestic sales of duty paid cigarettes, on Monday said the introduction of plain packaging on cigarette packs in wake of the implementation of the mandatory large pictorial warnings will lead to a surge in smuggling of international brands into the country.

Citing various surveys in Australia which reflected no decrease in smoking prevalence after the introduction of plain packaging in the country and the subsequent increase in the country's illegal trade after the implementation, TII reasoned that any proposal to implement plain packaging in India on the back of the extreme 85 per cent graphical warnings will be a "further assault on the Intellectual Property Rights of legal manufacturers" and promote the cause of smuggled foreign brands.

In a statement, it said that smuggled cigarettes do not carry the specified pictorial warnings which creates the impression with the consumer that these cigarettes are safer than the domestically legal products which adheres to the government's directives.

According to a recent study by FICCI, illegal cigarettes account for 20.2 per cent of the cigarette industry which results in a loss of Rs 9,000 crore of government revenue.

TII claimed that India is "unique" as only 11 per cent of the total tobacco is consumed in the form of legal cigarettes while the balance 89 per cent is consumed in other forms of tobacco consumption and illegal cigarettes. In the country, 68 per cent of the tobacco is largely produced in the unorganized sector which escapes regulatory oversight.

"The propaganda of the foreign anti-tobacco activists towards extreme packaging regulations is motivated and unwarranted ignoring the unique Indian tobacco consumption pattern. It is a matter of concern that thoughtless and extreme tobacco control policies are being promoted by anti-tobacco activists and NGOs who are funded by overseas vested interests who have no appreciation of the millions of livelihood dependent on tobacco in the country", it alleged.

It furthered that the series of campaigns which are being waged is directed at influencing government policy and public opinion although it will not help reduce overall tobacco consumption in India.

"Ironically, USA, where these funding organizations are based, has not adopted pictorial warnings or plain packaging", TII said.