New Delhi: Government today (Dec 11, 2003) said it will soon come out with a comprehensive legislation to ban advertising and control the use of tobacco, with the Cabinet approving ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

With this approval, India will become the seventh nation in the world to ratify this global convention, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, adding it would be implemented three months after at least 40 nations ratify it.

As per the convention, a comprehensive legislation is needed by member-countries and Government will be ready with this legislation within 10 days, she said.

This Bill will seek to ban advertising of tobacco products across both print and electronic media by all companies whether of Indian origin or foreign ones selling these products here.

PTI