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TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1993
MORE HEALTH WARNINGS ON CIGARETTE PACKETS, ADVERTISEMENTS
* * * * *
THE
GOVERNMENT IS ΤΟ REQUIRE
CIGARETTE PACKETS AND ADVERTISEMENTS TO CARRY MORE PROMINENT AND STRONGER HEALTH WARNINGS IN A STEPPED-UP EFFORT TO DISCOURAGE SMOKING.
FOUR NEW HEALTH WARNINGS WERE PRESCRIBED IN THE SMOKING (PUBLIC HEALTH) (NOTICES) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) ORDER 1992 PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE ON DECEMBER 31 LAST YEAR. THEY ARE:
SMOKING CAN KILL;
*
SMOKING CAN CAUSE CANCER;
* SMOKING HARMS YOURSELF AND OTHERS; AND
SMOKING CAN CAUSE HEART DISEASE
SAID EACH OF
OF
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH THESE HEALTH WARNINGS MUST BE USED ON PACKETS AND CONTAINERS CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO WITH EQUAL FREQUENCY.
"FOR CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS IN PRINTED PUBLICATIONS, WARNINGS WILL BE USED IN ROTATION QUARTERLY,' THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
"
THE
"CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS FOR DISPLAY ON SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS, WHEN FIRST PUT UP OR CHANGED BY MORE THAN 25 PER CENT, MUST BEAR THE HEALTH WARNING THEN PREVAILING IN THE PRINT MEDIA.
"TO DRIVE HOME THE MESSAGE MORE EFFECTIVELY, WE HAVE DOUBLED THE REQUIREMENT ON THE SIZE OF THE HEALTH WARNING PANEL SO THAT IT MUST TAKE UP AT LEAST 20 PER CENT OF THE SURFACE OF THE ADVERTISEMENT.
THE
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HEALTH WARNING MESSAGE AND THE TAR GROUP DESIGNATION IN FILL UP NO LESS THAN 75 PER CENT OF THE PANEL AND MUST APPEAR IN BOLD TYPEFACE.
TURN MUST
THE
TOBACCO INDUSTRY HAS BEEN ALLOWED A 12-MONTH GRACE PERIOD
TO ADJUST TO THE NEW REQUIREMENTS.
"WE HAVE ASKED THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY ΤΟ ENSURE THAT ALL CIGARETTE PACKETS AND ADVERTISEMENTS COMPLY WITH THE NEW REQUIREMENTS BY JANUARY 1, 1994," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE ALSO REMINDED THE INDUSTRY THAT THE GRACE PERIOD FOR CERTAIN ANTI-SMOKING MEASURES INTRODUCED BY THE ENACTMENT OF THE SMOKING (PUBLIC HEALTH) (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1992 WILL EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
FROM FEBRUARY 1 THIS YEAR, THE SALE OF ANY CIGARETTE WITH A TAR CONTENT OF MORE THAN 20 MILLIGRAMS WILL BE PROHIBITED AND THE DEFINITION OF "CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENT" WILL BECOME MORE RESTRICTIVE.
/UNDER THE