World Lung Foundation Calls for Indian Government to Renew Commitment to Health Warnings on Cigarette Packs

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Contact:
Jorge Alday, Public Relations Manager
World Lung Foundation
jalday@worldlungfoundation.org
phone: +1 (212) 639 0070

Erin Farrell/Colleen Roche
Linden Alschuler & Kaplan Public Relations, at
efarrell@lakpr.com
+1 (212) 575 4545

(New York) – World Lung Foundation released today the following statement from Peter Baldini, Executive Director, regarding the Indian Government's delay on the implementation of effective health warnings on cigarette packs:

"We are disappointed that the Indian Government has deferred by six months the implementation of pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging. This is even more unfortunate because more than 100 countries last week unanimously adopted international standards for warning labels on tobacco packaging. India, once a leader in this area, is now falling behind.

The evidence is clear worldwide. Graphic health warnings help reduce tobacco use and discourage young people from starting in the first place; and the cost to the taxpayer is nothing.

We hope that the Government reaffirms its commitment to public health by aligning itself with the international community and by adopting these regulations as soon as possible. World Lung Foundation pledges its support to once again make India a model for reducing the devastating harms of tobacco use."

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About World Lung Foundation
World Lung Foundation was established in response to the global epidemic of lung disease, which kills 10 million people each year. The organization improves global lung health by improving local capacity to conduct research, develop public policy and deliver public health education. The organization's areas of emphasis are tobacco control, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, asthma, and child lung health. For more information, please visit worldlungfoundation.org.
For more information, please contact Jorge Alday, World Lung Foundation at +1 (646) 354 8922 or jalday@worldlungfoundation.org or Erin Farrell/Colleen Roche, Linden Alschuler & Kaplan Public Relations, at +1 (212) 575 4545 or efarrell@lakpr.com.