Court denied relief from health warning over cigarette packets

A Sri Lankan court today dismissed a petition by a Tobacco Company against Health ministry's decision that cigarette packets must carry prominent pictorial health warnings.
Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC), a unit of British-American Tobacco, had filed a petition in the court seeking a stay order against the Health Ministry over the new regulations saying that 80 per cent of the cigarette packet area must carry pictorial health warnings printed on both sides.
The court has rejected the stay order. Health authorities say that at least 60 persons die daily due to smoking in the country.
Sri Lanka's new tobacco labelling rules were published in August by the health ministry, with manufactures having to comply within three months.

Under the new rules firms were also prohibited from having words such as 'low', 'light', 'ultra', 'mild' or 'extra' that could create an impression that such a product was less harmful.