Tobacco product retailers join stir

Amended rules increased size of health warnings to 85% of both sides from 40% on one side of packs

Shop owners on Tuesday joined the protest against the health ministry’s notification on pictorial warnings on tobacco products.

Developments since April 1 are continuously increasing the pressure on the government over its decision to increase the size of warnings on cigarette and beedi packs.

ITC and Godfrey Phillips stopped production on April 1, when the notification came into effect. Beedi makers followed suit a week later. On Monday, the Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), joined the protest.

Tobacco product retailers selling paan, beedi, cigarettes, tobacco products and confectionery items on Tuesday held a press conference here to urge the government to withdraw the notification and resolve the matter amicably.

“The regulation is hurting the 50 million people dependent on the tobacco industry for their livelihood,” said B C Bhartia, national president of the Confederation of All India Traders.

“We urge the government to take a balanced stand on the issue. We also call upon tobacco manufacturers to resume production,” a CAIT representative said.

The ministry of health and family welfare amended packaging and labelling rules through a notification on October 15, 2014, that increased the size of graphic health warnings on tobacco products to 85 per cent of both sides of a pack from 40 per cent on one side of a pack.

According to CAIT, the tobacco industry has an annual turnover of Rs 1,25,000 crore. Tobacco is grown in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Assam.