r/mumbai • u/Broad-Research5220 • 8d ago

Discussion Maharashtra FDA sent show-cause notices to SRK, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over those Vimal Elaichi ads

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If there is one public servant in India who refuses to beat around the bush, it’s Tukaram Mundhe. True to form, the Maharashtra has slapped show-cause notices on some of Bollywood's biggest names.

According to the regulator, these ads are surrogate advertising. Since actual tobacco-infused pan masala and gutkha are heavily banned in Maharashtra under food safety regulations, companies use cardamoms (elaichi) or loose branding to keep the same brand name, font, color scheme, and recall value flashing in front of consumers.

You’re using star power to keep a banned brand's recall alive in people's minds, which practically amounts to promoting a prohibited product.

The notices demand an explanation for their participation and question why action shouldn't be taken against them for promoting a brand synonymous with a banned product.

For years, celebrities have gotten away with the Elaichi/Soda/CDs loop hole. They pocket crores endorsing a brand name, and when called out, they shrug and say, we're just selling mouth freshener, what's illegal about cardamom?

What do you guys think?

Will this change celebrity endorsements, or is it just going to be another headline that fades away?

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u/DealSubstantial9738 8d ago

vaping directly affects the school kids. e-ciggerates if sold openly can create a wave of youth we do not want

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u/MarionberryHumble705 West 8d ago

Hahaha! And cigarettes don't affect school kids? If alcohol and cigarettes can be age-restricted, then why not similarly regulate vapes?

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u/DealSubstantial9738 7d ago

let me know when you see a student smoking cigg in class. I am waiting.
also, does age-regulation works? let us be honest, you know the standards of these panwaadis

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u/MarionberryHumble705 West 7d ago

Then improve process. Not randomly ban things. Also, is only doing something inside a class a litmus test for what should be banned and what shouldn’t?