GCC's New graphic warnings on tobacco product
Source: http://dohanews.co/post/28621685783/gcc-to-roll-out-new-graphic-warnings...
In an effort to discourage smoking across the region, a GCC-wide ban on tobacco products that don’t contain new graphic warnings will take effect on Thursday, media reports state.
Qatar will begin to require the warnings, similar to those used in the UK and other countries, next week.
They include five images of damaged lungs and jaws for cigarette packets and three images for sheesha products and must occupy at least half of the front and back of a pack, Gulf Times reports.
It adds that the warnings will be both in English and Arabic and:
Shall be written in such a way that it is difficult to remove them in any way, and so that the text is not hidden or concealed or overlapping with other text or image, and so that it is not affected by opening the package. Both warnings must be surrounded by a black frame that is 1 mm thick.
They were supposed to be rolled out earlier this year, but tobacco importers were given a grace period to meet the new requirement.
Region-wide, warehouses will also receive an extra three months to clear out inventory that does not contain the warnings.
So likely, we won’t be seeing any of the new packaging until the end of the year here.
More than a third of Qatar’s residents are smokers.
The country has already banned smoking in offices and public places, sale of tobacco products near schools and other educational institutions, though the problem of smoking in malls persists.
What do you think?
Will these new warnings make a difference?
@ingeniero, the gate keeper should be sack if he/she tells you to smoke inside the hall..it's unfair for those who are not smoking..Passive smoking can damage your body because secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 toxic (harmful) chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer..i hope that time there's no children inside the cinema..Breathing in secondhand smoke is particularly harmful for the tiny tots..grrr!!
Well in some locations even officials ask you to smoke, Last week went to Gulf Cinema unfortunately... and while in interval wanted to go outside, door were closed and gate keeper told me to smoke in the hall, where around 8/10 others were already smoking under no smoking signs..!
It is all about development and education. The developed nations have seen the dangers of smoking and gradually implemented and enforced laws to reduce its usage. Developing nations are slowly going in that direction, but the populace still see smoking as a past time or cool.
good question but i dnt have any anser...lols
If gcc countries are putting these warnings, then why do they import them in the first place. Do not you think the government is responsible for this.
Why don't they extend such graphics to Cigars?
I don't see it making a major difference - not until smoking is seen as anti-social
Well some people can't read the non-smoking signs in the shopping malls. Maybe they think it reads, 'smoke under this sign'
Law in Latin is "lex". Lex derives from 'legere', which means 'read'. Maybe they can't read here, moza?
Laws are recommendations in Qatar and are based on nationality
It IS already "banned" in all public places. Ha, ha.
Yes passive smoking is bad and smoking should be banned in all shopping malls and enclosed public spaces. However what they do oustide of public spaces is their business.
move :)
It may shock non-smokers but we KNOW how harmful smoking can be.
Yet to meet a person who stopped smoking because of warnings on the pack.
I have no problem with this, people should be free to smoke if they choose but should be aware of the dangers so they can make an informed decision.
You would see more people smoking by the next 365 days.