National Authority for Smoking Ban process

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent
Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has announced the setting up of a national authority to screen films and television to ensure effective implementation of the anti-tobacco legislation. The actor smoking or using tobacco on screen would also need to state on screen that smoking is injurious for health.

"As per the consensus reached, the national authority would screen all films and television programmes to ensure that they do not depict tobacco use. If the national authority finds that the smoking scene is necessary from the 'artistic point of view' then the film would have an advisory against smoking before the screening, in between the film and after its over," said Ramadoss.

These suggestions are a diluted version of the health ministry's initial proposal of implementing a blanket ban on smoking and tobacco use on the big and small screens. The health ministry had to make concessions in the face of strong opposition from the Information and Broadcasting ministry and the entertainment industry who accused them of clamping down on the freedom of expression. The matter is now before the Supreme Court.

"A consensus has been reached between I&B and health ministries on the issue of banning smoking scenes," Ramadoss said. I&B minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi had earlier questioned the ban, asking how a film could show a character like Churchill without a cigar.

He also said a notification making it mandatory for all cigarette boxes and gutka pouches to have pictorial health warnings with direct messages such as smoking kills and smoking causes cancer will be introduced in August.