The Health Ministry has issued a directive bannning smoking scenes on the silver screen and the cathode ray tube. India is now the first country to ban smoking on the screen. The ban is very comprehensive in its scope, including existing old films, foreign films, surrogate advertising, everything.
Question is : Can it be done? Looks like a huge task.
Smoking is losing ground in the developed countries, and gaining in the developing countries over the last several years. The huge damages awarded against the big tobacco firms some years ago in the US means the firms are looking for new markets. What better place than the developing world?
If the new order succeeds in making at least the new films and today's actors eschew smoking it should be a good thing.
It is interesting that in the US, the tobacco companies are actually spending money on advertising against smoking - kids smoking. Yet 3000 kids start smoking everyday.
Question is : Can it be done? Looks like a huge task.
Smoking is losing ground in the developed countries, and gaining in the developing countries over the last several years. The huge damages awarded against the big tobacco firms some years ago in the US means the firms are looking for new markets. What better place than the developing world?
If the new order succeeds in making at least the new films and today's actors eschew smoking it should be a good thing.
It is interesting that in the US, the tobacco companies are actually spending money on advertising against smoking - kids smoking. Yet 3000 kids start smoking everyday.
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