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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/14/india-threatens-pierce-brosnan-with-fine-over-pan-masala-advertisement
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| India threatens Pierce Brosnan with fine over pan masala adverts | India threatens Pierce Brosnan with fine over pan masala adverts |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Actor says he was shocked his image was used to promote potentially harmful chewing mixture | Actor says he was shocked his image was used to promote potentially harmful chewing mixture |
| Michael Safi in Delhi | Michael Safi in Delhi |
| Wed 14 Feb 2018 10.24 GMT | Wed 14 Feb 2018 10.24 GMT |
| Last modified on Wed 14 Feb 2018 13.21 GMT | |
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| Delhi health officials have threatened to fine or jail the actor Pierce Brosnan if he fails to explain why he appeared in adverts for a chewing mixture that sometimes includes tobacco. | Delhi health officials have threatened to fine or jail the actor Pierce Brosnan if he fails to explain why he appeared in adverts for a chewing mixture that sometimes includes tobacco. |
| Brosnan appeared nearly 18 months ago in TV and newspaper ads for a brand of pan masala, a popular Indian mixture that can contain tobacco, lime, spices and nuts. | Brosnan appeared nearly 18 months ago in TV and newspaper ads for a brand of pan masala, a popular Indian mixture that can contain tobacco, lime, spices and nuts. |
| The specific variety Brosnan was endorsing did not contain tobacco but some of the company’s products include supari, a kind of nut considered by the World Health Organisation to be carcinogenic. | The specific variety Brosnan was endorsing did not contain tobacco but some of the company’s products include supari, a kind of nut considered by the World Health Organisation to be carcinogenic. |
| The campaign was suspended after causing an uproar, and Brosnan said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” that his image had been used to promote a potentially harmful product. | The campaign was suspended after causing an uproar, and Brosnan said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” that his image had been used to promote a potentially harmful product. |
| On Monday the Delhi health department issued a show-cause notice to the Irish actor demanding he explain his appearance in the commercials, which it claims were a form of “surrogate advertisement” intended to evade a ban on promoting tobacco. | On Monday the Delhi health department issued a show-cause notice to the Irish actor demanding he explain his appearance in the commercials, which it claims were a form of “surrogate advertisement” intended to evade a ban on promoting tobacco. |
| “We have issued the notice to Pierce Brosnan through the company, and also reached out to him via social media platforms,” SK Arora, a health official with the Delhi government, told the Indian Express. | “We have issued the notice to Pierce Brosnan through the company, and also reached out to him via social media platforms,” SK Arora, a health official with the Delhi government, told the Indian Express. |
| “If he fails to respond to the notice, he would face punishment of a fine up to Rs5,000 [£56] or two years in prison.” | “If he fails to respond to the notice, he would face punishment of a fine up to Rs5,000 [£56] or two years in prison.” |
| Pan masala products containing tobacco have been known to increase the risk of mouth and throat cancers. The red-tinted teeth of regular chewers are a common sight across India and red splotches of pan masala stain many Indian streets. | Pan masala products containing tobacco have been known to increase the risk of mouth and throat cancers. The red-tinted teeth of regular chewers are a common sight across India and red splotches of pan masala stain many Indian streets. |
| Brosnan said at the time of the controversy he was under the impression he was promoting a “breath freshener/tooth whitener [and] all-natural, containing neither tobacco, supari nor any other harmful ingredient”. | Brosnan said at the time of the controversy he was under the impression he was promoting a “breath freshener/tooth whitener [and] all-natural, containing neither tobacco, supari nor any other harmful ingredient”. |
| He said the company, Pan Bahar, had “grossly manipulated” the advertisements to suggest the star was endorsing its entire product line. | He said the company, Pan Bahar, had “grossly manipulated” the advertisements to suggest the star was endorsing its entire product line. |
| “Having endured, in my own personal life, the loss of my first wife and daughter as well as numerous friends to cancer, I am fully committed to supporting women’s healthcare and research programmes that improve human health and alleviate suffering,” Brosnan said. | “Having endured, in my own personal life, the loss of my first wife and daughter as well as numerous friends to cancer, I am fully committed to supporting women’s healthcare and research programmes that improve human health and alleviate suffering,” Brosnan said. |
| Pan Bahar has denied it misled Brosnan and emphasised that its product is a mouth freshener that should not be associated with chewing tobacco. | Pan Bahar has denied it misled Brosnan and emphasised that its product is a mouth freshener that should not be associated with chewing tobacco. |
| India | India |
| South and Central Asia | South and Central Asia |
| Pierce Brosnan | Pierce Brosnan |
| news | news |
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