The Government has issued an apology after publishing an NHS anti-smoking poster that featured a Sikh man wearing a turban.
The controversial poster, which included the message “Make 2025 the year you quite smoking”, has since been removed from the NHS website.
The advertisement sparked criticism for its inappropriate portrayal of a Sikh person, as tobacco use is strictly forbidden in the religion.
The image used was a stock photo of a turbaned Sikh man, which appeared alongside the anti-smoking message.
The Government has issued an apology after publishing an NHS anti-smoking poster that featured a Sikh man wearing a turban.
DHSC
According to the Sikh Code of Conduct, known as the Rehat Maryada, the use of tobacco is strictly forbidden, along with opium, liquor and cannabis.
The first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak, taught that consuming mind-altering substances – unless for medical purposes – would distract from God.
The religious code is so strict that Sikhs are not permitted to even go near such substances, even by accident.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has branded the advertisement “inappropriate” and “offensive” in correspondence with Sikh Federation UK.
The Ilford North MP has committed to investigating how the blunder occurred.
Streeting pledged to implement measures to “make sure similar mistakes aren’t repeated” in the future.
Harwinder Singh from the Sikh Education Council expressed hope that the NHS and other government departments would learn from these errors.
He acknowledged that while some Sikhs do smoke, using an image of a turbaned Sikh for the poster creates an unwanted association.
Singh specifically noted that the advertisement risked creating a link between “smoking tobacco and the wider Sikh community specifically”.
Despite featuring NHS branding, the controversial poster was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care.
The advertisement has now been completely removed from NHS platforms following the backlash.
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