India could apply for anti-tobacco fighting funds

In the event that a decision by the Indian government to increase the size of tobacco-product health warnings leads to a challenge by tobacco companies, the government will be able to seek technical and financial help from a recently-established fund, according to a story in the Economic Times relayed by the TMA.

The government issued notification last year that it intended to require tobacco companies to increase the size of tobacco-product warnings from 40 percent to 85 percent, but implementation did not occur on schedule, on April 1.

India’s Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation recommended that the Ministry of Health defer the implementation of the notification until the government examined the economic impact of the measure on tobacco farmers.

Bloomberg Philanthropies (BPh) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) said on Wednesday they were creating a $4 million fund to help governments defend their tobacco control policies.

BPh and BMGF said countries with limited resources should not be bullied into making bad health policy choices.