Smokers up in smoke
28 February 2013 07:12 am
Smokers countrywide are facing a major shortage of cigarettes since yesterday after the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) stopped distributing cigarettes until pictorial health warnings are printed on the packets before releasing them to the market.
The CTC went to Court over the new regulations on pictorial warnings, which were introduced by the Health Ministry. The Court of Appeal refused a stay order on the regulations and the matter is now before the Supreme Court.
Informed sources said the CTC was going ahead with the printing of pictorial health warnings on new packets of cigarettes.
Sources said new packets of Gold Leaf cigarettes would be introduced to the market by March 2 while the new packets of Dunhill cigarettes would be in the market by March 10
.( H.F)