Court approves bigger cigarette warnings

[Lite Beer]

Court approves bigger cigarette warnings
Puangchompoo Prasert
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- All cigarette packaging in Thailand will have to feature large pictorial health warnings by September 23, after the Supreme Administrative Court ruled in support of a new regulation by the Public Health Ministry.

In line with the regulation, pictorial warnings must now cover at least 85 per cent of space on the two largest sides of each package.

Earlier, a tobacco firm had managed to put a brake on the measures by seeking an injunction from the Central Administrative Court.

The Supreme Administrative Court, however, decided to scrap the injunction on the grounds that the Public Health Ministry has proceeded with proper procedures and introduced the regulation to protect people's health.

"The court has also taken into account the fact that tobacco entrepreneurs should be able to comply with the regulation," the ministry's permanent secretary Dr Narong Sahametapat said yesterday.

The regulation has now taken immediate effect upon the cancellation of the injunction.

There will be a 90-day grace period for retailers to clear their existing stock of cigarettes, according to Nopporn Cheanklin, deputy director general of the Disease Control Department.

Currently, cigarette packages have pictorial warning that cover about 55 per cent of packets. After the grace period, companies that fail to abide by the new regulation will face a fine.

According to Nopporn, cigarette manufacturers and importers are liable to face a maximum fine of Bt100,000 if they defy the regulation. Retailers who sell cigarettes with the smaller size warnings will face a fine of up to Bt20,000.

Around 70 countries now require cigarette packages to display pictorial warnings. The pictures, which communicate adverse impacts from smoking, are thought to make a more forceful impact on consumers than written warnings which were used in the past.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Court-approves-bigger-cigarette-warnings-30237294.html

-- The Nation 2014-06-28

[rhythmworx]

What's next?

Dead peoples dentures taped on to each packet.

Buy 2 packs get a free tumour?

[jaltsc]

"In line with the regulation, pictorial warnings must now cover at least 85 per cent of space on the two largest sides of each package."

Probably won't have the results they are hoping for. After a while, the over saturation of those photos will be viewed as a common sight and lose their impact. It would probably be more effective for schools to take their students at least once a year, starting at the youngest level, to hospitals in order to see first hand the results of tobacco use. I am sure that experiencing emaciated people with tubes running out of their tracheas, gasping for the smallest breath of air after most of their lungs have been removed, would have a greater and longer lasting impact than a photo on a pack of cigarettes. If they lose a few nights of sleep...Good. Hopefully they will have more nights of sleep to lose throughout their lives than if they started smoking tobacco.

[Lite Beer]

Thai law now requires largest graphic warning on cigarette packages

BANGKOK: The law requiring a mandatory health warning graphic that takes up 85% of a cigarette packet, the largest anywhere, with the use of 10 different warning graphics stipulated, has now come into force in Thailand.

The Supreme Administrative Court suspended the injunction issued by the Administrative Court to halt enforcement of the law at the request of tobacco firms.

As a result, cigarettes sold in packets in Thailand must now have a graphic warning covering 85% of the package, and a carton must have 10 different graphics in the Thai language. The cigarette packet must also have information about the quit smoking hotline - tel 1600.

Public Health officials will start random checks from Sept 23 on retailers to ascertain whether their cigarettes on sale comply with the new requirement. The grace period is to allow distributors and retailers to clear old stock.

Narong Sahametapat, permanent secretary for public health, said on Friday (June 27) the ministry had on Thursday (June 26) received notification from the court that the ministry had correctly followed due process in passing the regulation for the protection of public health, and that tobacco firms must comply.

The ministry is campaigning to reduce the number of new smokers and existing tobacco smokers, particularly in rural areas, and reduce second-hand smoke in workplaces, public spaces and at home.

The ministry has 27 lines on its 1600 quit smoking line, which it says has already received more than 100,000 calls. It also has over 200 quit smoking clinics at public hospitals.

Dr Narong said the warning colour graphic, the largest in the world on packets, is suitable to the tobacco smoking situation in Thailand, where more than half of smokers' education never progressed beyond Prathom 4. The enlarged graphicwould encouraged smokers to quit the habit, or not take it up at all.

A global survey of adult smokers conducted in 2011 showed there were 13 million Thai smokers, up half a million from the survey in 2009, and that about 47% of Thai men smoke tobacco.

The survey also found that new smokers were generally aged 15-24 years. The average age of new smokers was 16.2 years, lower than 16.8 years according a survey in 2007.

Tobacco related diseases are the second most common cause of death, after alcohol, among Thai people.

A study in 2009 indicated that 50,710 people died each year on average from smoking-related diseases in Thailand. The average life expectancy of a smoker was 12 years less than a non-smoker.

The study also showed that treatment for people for illnesses stemming from smoking tobacco cost about 52.2 billion baht a year.

-- Phuket News 2014-06-28

[Andre0720]

Will not make a change...

The young ones think they are eternal, and love to look macho...

The older ones are hooked on that nasty drug...

[BudRight]

It's a good thing they can't do more than 100% of the pack or they would.

[Costas2008]

Pictures don't have much effect.

Price and public awareness does.

Put the price up at £7.00 as in UK and put some public advertising against smoking.

That will work.

And I am a smoker.

[Hawk]

The army can use that blimp they have in the south, or the air force can do flyovers of Bangkok with those long tail advertising flyers.

[specialist]

maybe if the would put the warnings in Thai instead of english!

[JoePai]

I can never understand all these warnings. If the stupid morons want to smoke why not encourage them ? The Governments earn a lot of revenue from taxes with the sale of cigarettes. My only proviso is that no Government money should be spent on medical care for anyone who smokes in state hospitals – they have to pay themselves.

[UbonRatch]

"Tobacco related diseases are the second most common cause of death, after alcohol, among Thai people."

They going to put pictures of vomit splattered all over the pavement on vodka bottles too?

[hawker9000]

"Tobacco related diseases are the second most common cause of death, after alcohol, among Thai people."

They going to put pictures of vomit splattered all over the pavement on vodka bottles too?

Yeah, you just see that all the time...

[jaltsc]

" It also has over 200 quit smoking clinics at public hospitals."

It would be much easier to get women to quit smoking. All they need to do is put a warning on cigarette packs stating that smoking counteracts whitening cream and will cause their skin to get darker!!!

As for men, just state that quitting smoking will enhance a certain part of their bodies

Edited June 28, 2014 by jaltsc

[Thai at Heart]

Pictures don't have much effect.

Price and public awareness does.

Put the price up at £7.00 as in UK and put some public advertising against smoking.

That will work.

And I am a smoker.

£9.50,for Marlboros now. I quit nor because of cost but I got sick of standing in the cold and rain.

[Thai at Heart]

What about Chopchop which makes up 50%,of the market and has no tax?

[Tao Diver]

Pictures don't have much effect.

Price and public awareness does.

Put the price up at £7.00 as in UK and put some public advertising against smoking.

That will work.

And I am a smoker.

It doesn't seem to work in the UK where I am told they are around 8 - 50 a packet. Putting more pictures on the packs won't make a bit of difference either nor will blank packs as has been talked of. Politicians either need to grow a set of balls and simply ban them altogether or stop with the tinkering of the laws on packaging and hiding them from sight etc. They say they want you all to stop yet tax the living daylights out of them at the same time.

[gunghang]

No matter how graphic the warnings are, people will acclimate to them. Some of us are old enough to have remember "death on the highway" films in high school &/or traffic school. They didn't have much effect.

I would invite Singapore police to cruise Bangkok for a couple of weeks. I'm sure that they'd be tickled pink (literally) to be able to spend time in the local fun houses. While working, they could write tickets and collect 15,000 baht fines from people they see smoking in public.

[UbonRatch]

Some of us are old enough to have remember "death on the highway" films in high school &/or traffic school.

Do you rememebr Mike? He could swim like a fish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9FsEi2us88

Or Angus Windsock? ... riding his bike?

[tingtongteesood]

Every kid should be forced in science class to see the shrivelled black smokers lung in formaldahyde. Old school but the best way to see the real effects on the body...

[tominbkk]

Make them 400 Baht a pack. That will stop a lot of people from smoking.

I've been smoke free now about 6 years, I can't believe there was actually a time in my life when I smoked, such a disgusting habit.

[soalbundy]

I only choose the packets with the pics and warnings that i like, '"Smoking can harm your baby during pregnancy'" for example,like i am going to get pregnant,yeah give me that packet.

[soalbundy]

Make them 400 Baht a pack. That will stop a lot of people from smoking.

I've been smoke free now about 6 years, I can't believe there was actually a time in my life when I smoked, such a disgusting habit.

No one so chaste as a reformed prostitute

[transam]

Hmmmmmm, why haven't they put pictures of dead folk with crushed heads on lamp posts to get folk to wear crash hats ?

Well the BiB do nothing do they......

PS. The poor of this country have very little pleasure, for many a ciggy is their only pleasure.

[soalbundy]

I can never understand all these warnings. If the stupid morons want to smoke why not encourage them ? The Governments earn a lot of revenue from taxes with the sale of cigarettes. My only proviso is that no Government money should be spent on medical care for anyone who smokes in state hospitals – they have to pay themselves.

Correct,and accident victims who are to blame by not wearing a crash helmet,and alcohol related illnesses and sexually transmitted deceases and those involved in high risk sports and building accidents if the workers aren't wearing safety equipment and anybody who is overweight,in fact anybody who steps out onto the street.

Edited June 28, 2014 by soalbundy

[seabass69]

Just make it illegal for anyone born before 2539 to purchase cigarettes. So next year one has to be at least 19 years old to buy them, the year after, 20 and so on, gradually reducing the amount of the population which is allowed to smoke.

[soalbundy]

Just make it illegal for anyone born before 2539 to purchase cigarettes. So next year one has to be at least 19 years old to buy them, the year after, 20 and so on, gradually reducing the amount of the population which is allowed to smoke.

That is a good idea and has been suggested by a doctor in England but i think the tobacco industry is bigger

[h90]

Pictures don't have much effect.

Price and public awareness does.

Put the price up at £7.00 as in UK and put some public advertising against smoking.

That will work.

And I am a smoker.

Yes....so beside the drug mafia we'll also get a cigarette mafia who sell bad fake but cheap cigarettes to people.

Or this if you want to see it from a socialist point of view: it would mean only rich people are allowed to smoke.

[seabass69]

Just make it illegal for anyone born before 2539 to purchase cigarettes. So next year one has to be at least 19 years old to buy them, the year after, 20 and so on, gradually reducing the amount of the population which is allowed to smoke.

That is a good idea and has been suggested by a doctor in England but i think the tobacco industry is bigger

Imagine if they did it, and in about 90 years time there were only 10 people in the whole country who could buy cigs.

[bigbamboo]

I can never understand all these warnings. If the stupid morons want to smoke why not encourage them ? The Governments earn a lot of revenue from taxes with the sale of cigarettes. My only proviso is that no Government money should be spent on medical care for anyone who smokes in state hospitals – they have to pay themselves.

As a one time occasional smoker playing devil's advocate here, in the interests of fair play, I would say that seeing smokers pay far more taxes than non smokers they are entitled to medical care in hospitals. If that is not acceptable to non smokers then part of the outrageous taxes on cigarettes should be diverted to running smokers only hospitals, a kind of puffer's BUPA, where they can be treated separately from the health conscious masses.

That way everybody can be happy and light....... sorry, lighten up.

[3NUMBAS]

does it make any difference in BKK with the foul polluted air with diesel particulants ,