NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday asked countries to introduce plain packaging without any logos and promotional information for tobacco products to reduce the demand.
Plain packaging of tobacco products restricts or prohibits the use of logos, colours, brand images and promotional information on packaging other than brand and product names displayed in a standard colour and font style.
Australia, France, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland have already made plain packaging mandatory for tobacco products.
“Plain packaging reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products. It kills the glamour, which is appropriate for a product that kills people,” WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said.
One million out of the six million tobacco deaths occur in India. In India, the government introduced 85 per cent pictorial warnings on the packets of tobacco from April 1. Health ministry officials said that there was no plan to introduce plain packaging of tobacco products in India. Australia, which was the first country to introduce plain packaging in 2012, has since seen a decline in smoking.