New Delhi: On World No Tobacco Day, the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday notified amended regulations under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2004 and approved regulations for OTT (over-the-top) programmes. It has been made mandatory to issue warnings against tobacco in theatres just like in movies and TV programs. As per the notification, while showing tobacco products or their use in online content, broadcasters will have to carry health warnings against tobacco for at least 30 seconds at the beginning and middle of the programme.
When tobacco products or their use are shown during the programme, it shall be mandatory to display an anti-tobacco health warning as a message at the bottom of the screen. Also, an audio-visual disclaimer of at least 20 seconds on the ill effects of tobacco use will have to be shown at the beginning and middle of the programme, sources said.
The notification states, “The anti-tobacco health warning message referred to in clause (b) of sub-rule (1) shall bear the words ‘Tobacco causes cancer’ in black letters on a white background. or ‘tobacco kills’ shall be displayed which shall be clear and legible.” In addition, anti-tobacco health warning messages and audio-visual disclaimers should be in the same language as the content created online.
The display or use of tobacco products in content created online must not be a means of displaying the brand of cigarettes or other tobacco products or the promotion of tobacco products in any form and the display of tobacco products or their use in promotional materials. According to a senior ministry official, the decision was taken after consultations with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and other stakeholders.
