Kerala's anti-smoking activists protest against I&B ministry decision

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The anti-smoking activists of the state are protesting against the decision of the union information and broadcasting ministry with the aim to keep in abeyance the norms issued by the health ministry on tobacco-free movies and television shows.

The I&B ministry has urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to maintain status quo and also follow the certification process as was being conducted before the issue of the (October) notification.

It has also requested the health ministry to maintain the notification in abeyance until the practical difficulties witnessed by the film industry gets solved.

Justice K Narayana Kurup, a former judge of the Kerala High Court, said, “If smoking scenes go without warning scrolls, it will end up in picturising a world that informs people, especially the youth, about the acceptance and prevalence of tobacco use in society, emasculating and neutralising the beneficial effect produced by the COTP (Control of Tobacco Products) legislation.”

Studies and surveys done to understand the influence of movies and television on tobacco use says that there is positive correlation between both of them.