No Tobacco Day: Raising awareness about tobacco industry's deceptions

Every year, May 31 is marked as “World No Tobacco Day” (WNTD). This year, WHO and public health champions from across the globe have come together for WNTD to raise awareness about the harmful tactics of the tobacco industry. The focus is on exposing the deceptive tactics used by the tobacco and nicotine industries to make their harmful products more appealing, particularly to youth.

 

Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare asked the organisers of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to stop showing ads that promote alcohol or tobacco, even indirectly. They also told sports officials to make sure that players, commentators, and others involved in the games don't support or promote such products. This directive came after parents shared concerns about children seeing these ads during major sports events. However, this year’s IPL shows mixed results — the ads haven’t completely stopped, but there are fewer tobacco ads now, and only a few celebrities are endorsing them.

   

Focus on youth is important, as they are particularly at risk of nicotine addiction, often developing dependence even before regular use begins. Just one or two cigarettes can trigger cravings in adolescents. Smokeless tobacco poses an even greater risk, delivering more nicotine than cigarettes and making it harder to quit. As the body adapts, users need increasing amounts to feel the same effect, leading to addiction. 

 

India ranks second in global tobacco-related deaths, with nearly 1.4 million fatalities annually. There are almost 267 million tobacco users in India. Everyday more than 3,200 children and teens under 18 years smoke their first cigarette. According to

Global Youth Tobacco Survey Fact Sheet India, 2019, 8.5 per cent of students (9.6 per cent of boys and 7.4 per cent of girls) currently used any tobacco product, which was 16.9 per cent in 2003.

 

We as a country have been trying to regulate industry for a very long time. As early as in 1975, “Cigarettes (Regulation of production, supply & distribution) Act, tried to regulate tobacco industry & mandated health warnings on cigarette packaging and advertisements. Then in 1990, the Central Government issued a directive for prohibiting smoking in public places, banned tobacco advertisements on national radio and TV channels, advised state governments to discourage sale of tobacco around educational institutions & mandated display of statutory health warning on chewing tobacco products. Similarly, in 2000, the central government banned tobacco and liquor advertisements on cable television under Cable Television Networks (Amendments) Act.

 

2003 was a landmark year when, The Cigarettes & Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade & Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act, (COTPA, 2003) was enacted even before entering Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and it's coming into force. 

 

COTPA is a comprehensive law with 33 sections regulating various aspects of tobacco products from their advertisement to their trading and consumption. COTPA incorporated five important policies later adopted and recommended under FCTC i.e. prohibition of smoking in public places, ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, ban on sale to and by minors and within 100 yards of educational institutions, display of pictorial health warning labels, and content regulation of tobacco products.

 

Continuing its efforts last year, The Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 2.0, a 60-day nationwide initiative was launched by MoHFW to empower youth against tobacco use. This campaign which started on September 24, 2024, focused on increasing public awareness, improving compliance with the revised guidelines for Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI), strengthening the enforcement of tobacco control laws to limit youth access to tobacco, promoting tobacco free villages, and boosting social media outreach, using digital platforms to deliver strong messages about the harms of tobacco and the benefit of quitting to young people.

 

Today, there are over 2,000 tobacco cessation centers, a national Tobacco Quitline (1800 11 2356) and many other community-based approaches for demand reduction which include Self Help material, support groups, individual counselling, quit contests,

advocacy for smoke free worksites and schools, etc. 

 

As evident, there are many initiatives and challenges as well, related to this complex social issue. One real challenge which is related to the theme of this year is surrogate advertising and endorsements by the celebrities. Surrogate advertising is considered unethical and controversial because it misleads consumers and undermines public health regulations.

 

Surrogate advertising is marketing practice where a brand promotes a product indirectly, which is restricted from advertising, by using another product or service that shares the brand’s identity. For this to happen effectively, brand name, logo, colours, or overall aesthetic of the restricted product is used to promote a seemingly unrelated product. This technique subtly reinforces brand recall without directly advertising the prohibited substance. Gutkha companies, for instance, sell both gutkha and cardamom. But the advertisement on television is one about the latter.

 

Surrogate ads work by using a type of learning called higher-order conditioning. An attractive ad for a harmless product (like elaichi) can make people want tobacco, even if tobacco isn’t shown. This happens because the ad links positive feelings to the brand, which is also known for tobacco. Over time, people connect the good feelings from the ad to using tobacco in a similar way.

 

In India, the Central Consumer Protection Authority issued guidelines in June 2022, to restrict this practice. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has been actively discouraging public figures from featuring in advertisements that would legally necessitate a health warning. However, a survey conducted by “Local Circles” highlights growing consumer dissatisfaction with the surrogate advertising post ban. Notably, 68 per cent of respondents reported that celebrities continue to appear in such ads, further exacerbating the public’s frustration with misleading endorsements. 

 

Celebrities—especially actors—hold immense influence, and with that comes a unique opportunity to inspire positive change. When endorsing products, they have the option to support brands that align with values of health, safety, and social well-being. By using their platforms responsibly, celebrities can become powerful advocates for a better, more conscious society. And the good news? Many are already leading the way, showing that fame can fuel impact.

 

Dr. Manohar Agnani is a Public Health professional and retired IAS officer (Additional Secretary, MoHFW, GoI). Currently, He is Professor, Public Health at Azim Premji University at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.  (Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of Business Standard)