As a result, India has one of the world's highest rates of mouth cancer. Manoj Thaker knows - he had to have half his jaw removed after developing oral cancer. Now he campaigns against tobacco use, refusing to sell cigarettes from his stall, and collects the names and telephone numbers of the people he persuades to give up. But the tobacco companies are keen to expand their share of one of the biggest global markets and they are deploying their marketing skills to the full to achieve their ends. As well as television commercials, they use sports sponsorship and sell sports equipment.
Cricket is the only common religion in India.
Wills and Four Square shamelessly aim cricket gear commercials at boys. In 1998 he and the schoolchildren of Goa took to the streets, to try to force the state government to legislate against tobacco and tobacco advertising. As a result of this campaign, the Goan state government banned all tobacco advertising. Tobacco companies now cannot advertise on television, in the cinema, on billboards - or even on shop premises. And smoking is even banned in public places.