Graphic warnings won't kill tobacco industry: Cayetano

MANILA - Senator Pia Cayetano on Wednesday debunked claims by tobacco manufacturers that graphic health warnings will kill the tobacco industry. "When members of Congress come to us and say we have to protect the farmers, yes and we did that through the sin tax and excise tax...It will give back to the farmers billions of pesos to help them rehabilitate and even shift to a different crop," she said. Under the reconciled version of the bill, 50 percent of cigarette packaging will be devoted to the graphic warning although it will be placed in the packaging’s lower portion. Lawmakers said the warning should not be obscured and that it should still be placed on the front and back panels of the packaging and printed in English and Filipino. Cayetano admitted the penalty for violations of the graphic warning bill was lowered after some lobbying by tobacco companies. She said the Senate version provided a maximum penalty of 20 million pesos for manufacturers but it had to be reconciled with the House version, which provided a maximum fine of just 2 million pesos. Cayetano said the target of the graphic warning labels is the youth who have a better chance of resisting smoking. MORNINGS@ANC, June 11, 2014