Ban On Cigarette Displays For Public Interest

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Ban on cigarette displays for public interest

KANCHANABURI: -- The Ministry of Public Health reiterated today that the government's ban on cigarette displays at retail store 'points of purchase' was aimed to benefit the public and was not intended to bar the tobacco companies from promoting their products.

Public Health Minister Suchai Charoenratanakul said that the ban is a policy implementation of legislation in the public interest as smoking has a negative impact on their health.

It is the enforcement of the 1992 Act on tobacco consumption that bans the display of cigarettes for sale.

The act was drafted and approved by lawmakers who felt that Thailand's young people should not have additional encouragement to smoke.

Smoking not only leads to respiratory disease, he said, but also causes social and economic losses due to the cost of the treatment.

Patients' relatives also must invest time, money and emotional recourses in nursing the sick.

"There are about 10 million smokers in Thailand," Mr. Suchai explained.

"It's the ministry's task to reduce the number of smokers and new smokers," he added.

The ministry is ready to listen to the tobacco companies if they are affected by the ban, he said.

However, the ministry will not be deterred by lawsuits.

Tobacco companies threatened to sue the public health ministry over the ban on cigarette displays at points of sale, citing it deprives them of their right to put their products on display.

--TNA 2005-08-04