Thailand currently has the most draconian anti-tobacco laws in Asia and was amongst the first to adopt both the display ban and the graphic warning. The effect has been the uglification of everyday life in the name of public health. We Brits have already seen graphic warnings on cigarette packs hit our shores and the display ban may or may be winding its devious way towards us (see last post).
Meanwhile, Thailand is motoring ahead and now plans to put graphic warnings on alcohol.
Thailand is pressing ahead with its plan to force alcohol manufacturers to carry graphic picture warnings on the bottle after the policy was cleared of trade barrier concerns by World Trade Organisation members.
Here are some of the charming images under consideration (they will have to cover at least 30% of the can or bottle)...
The slogans read (clockwise from top left): 'Drinking alcohol causes hypertension and liver cirrhosis', 'Drunk driving causes disability or death', 'Drinking alcohol leads to unconsciousness and even death', 'Drinking alcohol leads to adverse health effects and family problems'.
And why not? Once we accept that one hazardous product must be adorned with photographs of death and disease, what's stopping us doing it to them all?
Therein lies the simplistic beauty and the hideous logic of the slippery slope. And food will be next.
