A headline this week brought news of another Bill, but one many people might welcome. The government has proposed amendments to the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, to increase penalties—a fine up to R50 lakh and imprisonment up to five years for any advertisements promoting 'magical' or pharmaceutical products that claim to make you fairer, thinner, taller—or claim to cure a particular list of diseases.

On first look it is a surprise to see something so baked into social attitudes tackled in this way. On closer look you realise that this probably won't apply to fairness creams, soaps and other such cosmetic goods, but rather to their B-grade poor relatives, the late night denizens of shopping networks.