Government of Delhi Files an FIR on a Tobacco Company for Surrogate Advertising

On receiving a complaint from the Tobacco Control Cell of Delhi government,an FIR has been lodged against a tobacco company for alleged surrogate advertising of its gutka and tobacco products on TV and radio.

"We sent a strict compliance notice under Section 5 of COTPA 2003 to the company on July 24 to immediately stop the surrogate advertisements of its 'pan masala' which is being aired on TV and radio for some time."

"But the company has failed to comply with the notice and therefore we have lodged FIR against the company at Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Delhi) for appropriate action," said Dr S K Arora, Additional Director of Health, Delhi government.

As per Section 5 of COTPA 2003, all kinds of advertisements of tobacco products direct as well as indirect are banned in India. Recently, Delhi government has removed similar advertisements on a big hoarding at Surajmal Vihar in East Delhi and also from Delhi Metro coaches.

Around 275 million people use tobacco in India and it accounts for half of all the cancers in men and a quarter of all cancers in women. Tobacco products account for 9 to 10 lakh deaths annually in India.

Delhi government's initiative to ban chewable tobacco products is pending and will come up for hearing soon in the High Court. In Delhi, the major problem is the smoking form of tobacco as compared to the rest of India where chewable tobacco products are the major culprits.

Source: Medindia