A key issue in tobacco regulation in India

In an article published on October 26, 2020 in the Financial Express, Dr. Binod Kumar Patro, a specialist in non-communicable diseases and professor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, calls on the public authorities to go further in tobacco control[1].

As the author mentions, Indian regulations still have gaps in meeting the requirements set by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Dr. Patro suggests that three measures are needed to address these regulatory shortcomings.

• Remove all smoking areas in airports, hotels and restaurants

• Ban advertising and displays in points of sale

The author points out that this measure is particularly effective in reducing the initiation of smoking among young people. Today, 42 countries completely ban advertising of tobacco products at the point of sale, 21 completely by removing product displays.

• Ban single unit sales

The sale of single cigarettes has the effect of increasing the accessibility of tobacco to young people and disadvantaged populations. The author suggests that banning this practice should be combined with the application of heavy sanctions for offenders.

The Burden of Smoking in India

In India, 266 million adults consume tobacco of all types [2]The country is also the second largest producer and second largest consumer of tobacco products in the world. This situation is paid at a high price by the Indian population, with 1.28 million deaths per year due to tobacco consumption.

©Tobacco Free Generation

Keywords: India, Tobacco Control

[1] Financial Express, Time to tighten control over tobacco, 26/10/2020