Page 2 - Tobacco Control

IAMAI flags concerns on new norms for anti-tobacco warning on OTT platforms

The Union health ministry's latest move mandating anti-tobacco warnings for OTT platforms did not involve any consultative process with the industry prior to notification, IAMAI has said flagging "fundamental concerns" and "practical difficulties" in implementation of the new norms. The industry body has highlighted the practical impossibility associated with including such warnings across content. The amount of content being commissioned in India and licensed from within India and around the world is very high, IAMAI said, adding, "to create and incorporate multiple health spots, audio-visual disclaimers and warnings in multiple languages for the same piece of content poses significant logistical issues". The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has cautioned that the rules will significantly impact consumer viewing experience, and "throttle creativity and artistic expression". The newly-notified rules make it mandatory for OTT platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings

Most tobacco quitters in India from Uttar Pradesh: NTQLS-VPCI survey

A survey of calls received by the central government's National Tobacco Quit Line Services (NTQLS) has shown that most of the tobacco quitters in the country are from Uttar Pradesh. The survey findings were released by the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) on 'World No Tobacco Day' observed on May 31. The VPCI survey based on NTQLS data revealed that 71,39,473 interactive voice response (IVR) calls were received till April 30, 2023 since May 30, 2016. Out of the total number of IVR calls received by this centre, 20,43,227 calls were counselled, including 9,96,302 inbound calls, 26,80,657 outbound calls, and 3,91,160 registered by the call centre. Most of the callers were from the state of Uttar Pradesh, it said. According to the survey, 1,56,644 (40 per cent) individuals studied had successfully given up tobacco use. Of these, the maximum 1,23,508 calls were received from Uttar Pradesh. Dr Raj Kumar, director, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute said, I would like to work wi

OTT platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings similar to cinema theatres

The new rules also prohibit OTT companies from displaying brands of cigarettes or other tobacco products or any form of tobacco product placement

World No Tobacco Day: Govt bans tobacco promotion on OTT; notifies rules

On the occasion of World Tobacco Day the Union Health Ministry has notified new rules that mandate audio-visual warning in OTT content

World No Tobacco Day 2023: Theme, History, Importance & Role of Media

According to the World Health Organization, the theme of 'World No Tobacco Day 2023' is "We Need Food, Not Tobacco." This annual event takes place on May 31

Health Ministry to launch 60-day 'Tobacco Free Youth Campaign' on May 31

The Union Health Ministry is planning to launch a 60-day pan India campaign on the theme 'tobacco-free youth' on May 31 which will focus on taking steps to prevent initiation of tobacco use among youngsters and assisting users to quit. Tobacco use has declined but data reveals that its use is still unacceptably high among adolescents and adults in India. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), current tobacco use among young adolescents (1315 years) in 2019 was 8.5 per cent and in the previous round (2010), it was 14.6 per cent - a decline of 42 per cent. Several initiatives like 'tobacco-free educational institution' are part of the campaign being planned for World No Tobacco Day observed on May 31. In a letter, Joint Secretary of the Health Ministry V Hekali Zhimomi urged states and Union Territories to conduct special drives for enforcement of the provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commer

Nagaland State health dept begins anti-tobacco campaign in schools

An initiative has been taken in Nagaland to spread an anti-tobacco campaign from schools to homes. The campaign Tobacco Free Schools to Tobacco Free Homes was launched by the State Health and Family Welfare Department on Friday. As part of the initiative, school students are expected to spread awareness among their parents and siblings about the danger of smoking, chewing of tobacco and spitting. Their family members should also be informed about the basic provisions of Tobacco Control Law, and ban of smoking in public places. To be eligible for a Tobacco free home badge, a checklist is given to students which needs to be followed at their homes. In Nagaland, 43.3 per cent of adults either smoke tobacco or use smokeless tobacco according to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2), against a national average of 29 per cent, State Nodal Officer, National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), Dr Arenla Walling said in a concept note. To begin with, Commissioner and Secretary of Health and .

Govt specifies retail price based GST cess rate for pan masala, tobacco

The government has specified the retail sale price-based GST cess rate that would be levied on pan masala and tobacco manufacturers with effect from April 1. This is a departure from the earlier regime that imposed cess, over and above the 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate on ad-valorem basis. As per a finance ministry notification dated March 31, the GST cess rate that would be applicable on pan masala is 0.32 times the retail sale price (RSP) of the pan masala pouch. Pan masala, containing tobacco gutkha, now has a cess rate of 0.61 times the RSP, while the rate for smoking mixtures for pipes and cigarettes is 0.69 times. Chewing tobacco , filter khaini, and jarda scented tobacco attract a cess of 0.56 times the RSP, and the rate for branded unmanufactured tobacco and hookah or gudaku is 0.36 times the RSP. The new rates are applicable from April 1, 2023. Moving to RSP-based levy would mean that manufacturers would now have to pay the cess on the final retail price o

Bengaluru honoured with $150,000 global award for tobacco control efforts

Bengaluru is among five global cities that have been recognised for achievements in preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries, with the Indian tech city's efforts in tobacco control winning a USD 150,000 award by a leading global initiative supported by the WHO. Bengaluru was honoured on Wednesday with the 2023 Partnership for Healthy Cities Award, along with Montevideo in Uruguay; Mexico City, Mexico; Vancouver, Canada and Athens, Greece, at the inaugural Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit held in London, a statement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. The cities were recognised for positively impacting the health of their population and making sustainable and lasting strides toward NCD and injury prevention that can be replicated in other jurisdictions. According to the statement, the five winning cities each received USD 150,000 to further their work with the partnership. The Karnataka capital was awarded for its efforts in tobacco control, specifically

FDA takes action against 144 establishments since April in Maharashtra

A total of 175 establishments have been checked and action has been taken against 144 since April this year for various violations of rules and regulations, an official of the Konkan division of the Food and Drug Administration said on Friday. FDA Joint Commissioner Suresh Deshmukh said raids were conducted in Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, which are part of the Konkan division. "Gutkha and tobacco products worth Rs. 2,92,01,518 were seized. At least 60 FIRs have been registered at various police stations. We have sealed 129 establishments and five vehicles have been confiscated," he said. "During 2021-22 a total of 105 establishments were inspected and action was taken against 99," he added.

Amendments to tobacco control law a step towards healthy India: BJP leader

Amendments to the tobacco control law COTPA can be a step towards realizing the dream of building a healthy and tobacco-free India, says BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan. The writer and law expert was speaking as part of an online discussion titled 'India's Resolution for a Healthy India, Tobacco Free India' organised by Tobacco Free India. Nearly 28 per cent of adults (aged 15 years and above) are known to consume tobacco products. Even more distressing is the fact that 9 per cent of children aged between 13 and 15 years of age consume tobacco in some form or the other. "We are sitting on a ticking timebomb and need to take quick action to ensure our demographic dividend does not convert into a demographic disaster, opined Paswan, who is also an author and Assistant Professor of law at Patna University. Youth and children are particularly vulnerable as the powerful tobacco lobby uses several methods such as surrogate advertising and placing ads at points-of-sale (PoS) to lure

Indians reluctant to stub it out with 186 million tobacco users

With over 186 million tobacco users in India, two in every three people who chew dry snuff tobacco the world over are Indians

Jharkhand to get WHO award for efforts in controlling tobacco consumption

Stata Tobacco Control Cell of the Health Department will receive the award on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day in New Delhi on May 31

Public health groups, docs urge govt to hike tobacco products' excise duty

In their appeals to the Finance Ministry, they have sought an increase in excise duty on cigarettes, bidis and smokeless tobacco

Hike tax on tobacco to reduce affordability, protect children: K'taka body

Consortium for Tobacco-Free Karnataka and other organizations working on tobacco regulation on Tuesday urged the GST council to hike the compensation cess on all tobacco products

Proposed tobacco control law amendments to increase illegal trade: Survey

The proposed amendments in the law regarding cigarettes and other tobacco products are more likely to increase illicit tobacco trade thus leading to more consumption rather than lessening it

Tobacco control needs to be pursued like mission, says Harsh Vardhan

Tobacco use is so interwoven in our society that untiring efforts are required to fight this epidemic and tobacco control needs to be pursued like a mission, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said

Inside the Philip Morris campaign to 'normalise' a tobacco device

The marketing strategy mimics that of tobacco companies in the mid-20th century, when they started associating cigarettes with Hollywood and high society

Govt's e-cigarette ban faces first legal challenge in Kolkata court

The government banned the sale, import and manufacture of e-cigarettes this month and warned of an "epidemic" among young people

E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products do not help reduce cancer: WHO

The seventh "WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic" said blocking the industry's interference was critical to cutting the harm from tobacco use