India: Large majority of population in favour of strengthening anti-smoking measures

A survey conducted by Consumer VOICE among adults aged 18 and above across 10 states in India reveals that over 80% of the respondents support banning smoking in all public places, eliminating designated smoking areas in airports, hotels and restaurants, banning the sale of loose cigarettes and bidis, and banning advertising of tobacco products at points of sale.

The survey[1] revealed that more than 80% Indians consider cigarette, bidis[2] and smokeless tobacco products pose a serious public health problem and 88% support strengthening the current law to combat this scourge. More than 7 in 10 Indians (72%) believe that second-hand smoke is a serious health hazard and support banning smoking in all public places with the removal of designated smoking areas in airports, hotels and restaurants.

With approximately 267 million smokers, tobacco use is a serious public health problem in the country and is responsible for over 1.2 million premature deaths each year (3,500 deaths per day). Among youth (aged 13-15 years), nearly 15% currently consume some form of tobacco (boys 19.0%; girls 8.3%)[3].

A first attempt to strengthen anti-smoking legislation in India

The country adopted a first law, which aimed to establish a complete system (Law COPTA 2003). However, the legislation had loopholes that led to a major problem in its effective implementation. In 2020, the Indian government initiated the process amendment of this legislation with a view to introducing certain substantial amendments:

• Banning smoking rooms by removing the provision that allows separate smoking areas in restaurants and hotels;
• Strengthening the ban on all direct and indirect advertising of tobacco products on the internet and social networks;
• Raising the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products to 21 and strengthening penalties for failure to comply with the ban provided for in the 2003 law.

The adoption of these amendments was a step towards achieving the 30% targets of reducing the prevalence of smoking in the country by 2025.[4] as the country has committed to. The policy of reducing the prevalence of tobacco use is also part of the context of the protection of the right to health guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution.

A system still considered clearly insufficient

However, the 2020 amendments appear insufficient in light of the situation. Single-unit sales of cigarettes and bidis remain the norm in India, which increases the accessibility of products that are easily purchased financially by the young. The question of protecting public policies from the commercial interests of tobacco manufacturers remains. The provisions of Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention including the elimination of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities by the tobacco sector remain deficient. Finally, the 2020 bill does not include plain packaging of tobacco products which plays a crucial role in improving the visibility and effectiveness of health warnings and reducing the attractiveness of the product.

Keywords: India, tobacco control, survey, COPTA 2003 ©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] 88 pc Indians strongly favor strengthening tobacco control law: Survey, India News, February 11, 2021, accessed February 12, 2021 [2] The bidi is a type of cone-shaped Indian cigarette, consisting of a sepia-coloured tendu or kendu wrapper containing chopped, dried, unprocessed tobacco strands. Wikipedia [3] Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, The tobacco toll in India [4] WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, 3^e edition, World Health Organization, 2019 National Committee Against Smoking |