Sri Lanka has ordered a ban on liquor and cigarette advertisements in state-run media from January next year, say officials. President Chandrika Kumaratunga has asked the concerned ministry to even encourage privately-owned radio and television stations as well as newspapers to fall in line by the stipulated time. The decision has been taken following a recommendation by a top-level panel in March that there should be tighter laws to control alcohol and tobacco industries. Liquor and cigarette have claimed more lives than the country's ethnic Tamil separatist war, says the panel.
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