Liquor Firms May Be Forced To Put Warning Signs On Bottles

[george]

Liquor firms may be forced to put warning signs on bottles

BANGKOK: -- Rebuffed over its latest efforts to control rising alcohol abuse - a complete ban on liquor advertising - the Public Health Ministry has proposed another aggressive idea.

With the Council of State ruling the advertising ban illegal, the ministry has decided to adopt an anti-tobacco weapon which involves the use of warning pictures depicting the ugly side-effects of smoking.

It is preparing to put forward a proposal to force liquor companies to put warning pictures on labels.

The committee tasked with controlling alcohol consumption was planning to include the step in its latest package of measures aimed at curbing liquor abuse, Dr Narong Sahamethaphat, the deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, said.

If endorsed by the Cabinet, warnings would be put on alcoholic beverages, including pictures showing the risks and harm associated with drinking alcohol and strongly worded text similar to that on cigarette packets, he said.

Narong, a member of the committee, said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would draft this part of the proposal.

A source from the FDA, which had originally proposed the advertising ban, said current text warnings on liquor containers were directed by the Food Act of 1979. There were three approved warning messages, including selling alcohol to people under 18.

If the alcohol control committee wanted to impose new warnings for labels, it would need to get approval to issue a new announcement under the Food Act.

But before it could do that, it would need to consider the opinions of all concerned parties including the alcohol companies, while providing strong evidence and statistics to back it up.

Then it would be required to circulate the draft of the announcement to member countries of the World Trade Organisation for comment.

"The chance of getting permission for such an announcement is extremely slim," said a source familiar with the procedure.

"Still, it's quite the wrong way to go. If the aim is to curb alcohol consumption, [it should be remembered] drinkers tend not to pay attention to warning labels before buying or drinking."

Arthit Khwankhom

-- The Nation 2007-01-09

[astral]

You mean something like this.........

Get drunk and have a great time,

until the hangover kicks in tomorrow morning.

[kmart]

The Ministry Of Inanity strikes again.

[Dupont]

It'l onnly be in Thia as they realise that a drunk tourist far outspends a sober one!

Every mad overspend on my cards down the years has been down to drinking and partying in Thailand. Often to the extent that I have had to go back to England to ern some decent wedge.

Do they want to protect people like me from myself? No worries. Also protect a lot of Thais from my drunken spending sprees though!

[astral]

It'l onnly be in Thia as they realise that a drunk tourist far outspends a sober one!

Every mad overspend on my cards down the years has been down to drinking and partying in Thailand. Often to the extent that I have had to go back to England to ern some decent wedge.

Do they want to protect people like me from myself? No worries. Also protect a lot of Thais from my drunken spending sprees though!

What makes you think this applies to you............?

Guilty conscience.

[cdnvic]

The stop signs, speed limit signs, and red lights have worked so well too...

[cclub75]

We can however aknowledge their pugnacity. I mean, their never stop.

Respect !

Will we have photos, colors, of a nice liver with full cirrhosis on each Black Label bottle ?

It would put some good mood to officials parties in Thailand ! Ah ah ah ah

[mijan24]

Now now guys be fair - it could prove very very useful - for example

On the back of a JW red or black label there could be a simple message that reads;

I am too pissed to speak please provide me a JW on the rocks, ta & thanks muchly.

[Donnyboy]

You mean something like this.........

Get drunk and have a great time,

until the hangover kicks in tomorrow morning.

sorry couldnt resist

suggested picture........

[PhilHarries]

You mean something like this.........

Get drunk and have a great time,

until the hangover kicks in tomorrow morning.

sorry couldnt resist

suggested picture........

Hunner porsen fake! He can't be that pissed he's standing up. Besides which it can't be real puke, there's no diced carrots!

Anyway it wouldn't affect me, I leave the bottles inside the brown paper bags.

[Aujuba]

Why not add something. More people are killed by drunk drivers than by drug users every year and a lot of families suffer under alcoholics. But the point about enforcement is true. Something is better than nothing. I wouldn't go with silly pictures though. They could put some drunk driving statistics on the bottles. Maybe they should add a tax to help pay for orphanages and hospital bills.

[tuky]

All I can say is that the 2pm-5pm ban has been a great boon to the mum and dad shops.

[Daffy D]

This seems to be following the Farang trend in putting warnings on everything so no individual has responsibility for any of their own actions anymore.

Soon we will see warnings on absolutely everything you can buy or borrow or even steal. If someone steals your faulty power drill and electrocutes himself, his family would have a claim on you for loss of income from his “profession”.

I can see the time coming when you cannot buy a bucket without the government warning “Be aware that filling this bucket with any liquid and immersing your head in it for any length of time could be harmful to your health”

What happened to common sense?

D.D.