MYSURU
An “advertisement” in a newspaper in Mysuru that purportedly sought to create awareness about the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of different brands of cigarettes has riled anti-tobacco activists and the Mysuru district Tobacco Control Cell.
The advertisement appearing on Thursday cited “speculation in the market and complaints from consumers on cigarette prices” before identifying different brands of cigarettes and the rates for each pack and single sticks.
After the matter was raised by Anti-Tobacco Forum, Mysuru, the Mysuru District Surveillance Officer, who is also the nodal officer for the District Tobacco Control Cell, issued a notice to the publication on Friday for carrying the “advertisement”, which violates various provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003, also known as COTPA 2003.
While Section 5 of COTPA 2003 prohibits advertisement of cigarettes and other tobacco products, Section 7,8 and 9 bar sale of loose cigarettes, the notice said while giving five days’ time for an appropriate explanation for the violations.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Controller of Legal Metrology in Mysuru has denied that the Department had anything to do with the advertisement. For, the advertisement had urged the public to lodge a complaint with the Legal Metrology Department if they come across instances of cigarettes being sold above the MRP and had even listed the contact number of Legal Metrology Department in Bengaluru.
“We have not issued the advertisement”, the Legal Metrology Department official clarified. Inquiries made by the Mysuru District Tobacco Control Cell revealed that the advertisement had been placed by the distributor of a cigarette manufacturing company.
Convenor of Anti-Tobacco Forum, Mysuru, Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, who said the advertisement had violated the rules and regulations of COPTA 2003, has also sought an inquiry with regard to display of the Legal Metrology Department’s phone number in the advertisement.
