OTT platforms mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings

Subject :Polity

Section: Msc

Concept :

On World No-Tobacco Day, the Union Health Minister issued OTT (over-the-top) guidelines for the control of tobacco product depiction in online curated content.

Health warnings, advertisements, and disclaimers

Publishers of online curated content that depicts tobacco products or their use will be forced to follow strict criteria.
These include the display of anti-tobacco health advertisements that last at least thirty seconds at the start and middle of the programme. Furthermore, during the display of tobacco goods or their usage, publishers must post anti-tobacco health warnings as a noticeable static notice at the bottom of the screen.
In addition, at the beginning and middle of the programme, an audio-visual disclaimer on the dangers of tobacco smoking must be broadcast for at least twenty seconds.

Access to content

The publisher of the online curated content will have access to the health ads, messages, and disclaimers.

Legibility and language

The anti-tobacco health warning message must be visible and readable, with black font on a white background, and must include the warnings “Tobacco causes cancer” or “Tobacco kills.”
In addition, the health warning message, health spot, and audio-visual disclaimer must be in the same language as the online curated content.

Display restrictions

The exhibition of tobacco products or their usage in online curated content that includes the brands of cigarettes or other tobacco products, as well as any type of tobacco product placement, is forbidden.
Furthermore, the exhibition or usage of tobacco products in promotional materials is prohibited.

World No-Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on 31st May.
It is a global campaign that aims to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco growing and consumption on human health, food security and the environment.
The theme for this year is “We need food, not tobacco”.

Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003

The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 or COTPA, 2003 is an Act of Parliament of India enacted in 2003 to prohibit advertisement of, and to provide for the regulation of trade and commerce in, and production, supply and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India.
The Act was enacted by the Parliament to give effect to the Resolution passed by the 39th World Health Assembly, urging the member states to implement measures to provide non-smokers protection from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke.

Provisions of COTPA

The Act prohibits smoking of tobacco in public places, except in special smoking zones in hotels, restaurants and airports and open spaces.
Advertisement of tobacco products including cigarettes is prohibited.
Tobacco products cannot be sold to person below the age of 18 years, and in places within 100 yards radius from the outer boundary of an institution of education, which includes school colleges and institutions of higher learning established or recognized by an appropriate authority.
Tobacco products must be sold, supplied or distributed in a package which shall contain an appropriate pictorial warning, its nicotine and tar contents.
The owner/manager/in-charge of a public place must display a board containing the warning “No Smoking Area – Smoking here is an offence ” in appropriate manner at the entrance and inside the premises.
The Act also gives power to any police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector or any officer of State Food or Drug Administration or any other officer, holding the equivalent rank being not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police for search and seizure of premises where tobacco products are produced, stored or sold, if he suspects that the provision of the Act has been violated.