New anti-smoking warnings

The anti-smoking legislation enforced in Europe will not immediately impact on the Romanian arms of multinational tobacco companies, but as late as of next year, when the new provisions of the Law on preventing and fighting tobacco product consumption effects are due to gradually enforce. As the modifications to this law published in the Official Gazette this week stipulate, the cigarette producers shall add very large general warnings on cigarette packs that read either “Fumatul ucide (Smoking kills)”, or “Fumatul poate sa ucida (Smoking can kill)” or “Fumatul dauneaza grav sanatatii tale si a celor din jur (Smoking is bad for your health and those around you).” These warnings shall be printed on the most visible surface of the pack and shall cover at least 30% of the external area of that surface. Alternately, there shall also be another warning of at least 40% of the other visible surface of the cigarette pack. Another modification to the law is the reduction of the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide content per cigarette, enforcing as of December 31, 2006 so that producers would not have to replace their entire stock of tobacco. How do producers comment on this? Peter Imre, Corporate Affairs Director with Philip Morris Romania said, “We will request the Health Ministry to clarify the deadlines for applying certain modifications in the law, because of some conflicting deadlines. Other than that, the normative act is most welcome because it implements a European Community directive.” ZF