85 percent pictorial warning will increase smuggling of foreign cigarettes

The rule requiring that packets of tobacco products carry larger pictorial health warning will increase smuggling into India of foreign cigarettes that come without such a warning, said a farmers’ grouping on Friday. “It is a black day for us. By implementing the 85 percent pictorial warning rule, the government is actually trying to murder the tobacco farmers,” MuraliBabu, general secretary of the Federation of All India Farmers’ Associations (FAIFA), told IANS.
The rule increasing the display area of the pictorial health warning on packs of cigarettes and other tobacco products from 40 percent to 85 percent came into effect on Friday. That will be in addition to textual health warning.
 

http://www.newsx.com/national/24446-85-percent-pictorial-warning-will-increase-smuggling-of-foreign-cigarettes