Lok Sabha Question No. 79 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-02
Subject: Pictorial Warning on Tobacco Products
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: KONAKALLA NARAYANA RAO, R. VANAROJA, KINJARAPU RAM MOHAN NAIDU, ASHWINI KUMAR, K. GOPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 79 TO BE ANSWERED ON   2 ND FEBRUARY,  2018

## PICTORIAL WARNING ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS

## 79. SHRI KONAKALLA NARAYANA RAO:

SHRIMATI VANAROJA R.:

SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR:

DR. K. GOPAL:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a large number of people died due to tobacco related diseases, if so, State - wise details thereof;
- (b) whether the tobacco related diseases costs in India is more than Rs. 1,04,500 crore, details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has notified amendments mandating pictorial warning on tobacco products, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has monitored the implementation of 85 per cent warning label tobacco products, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  other  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  spread  awareness  and  discourage  use tobacco products?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE ( SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a) &(b): The data regarding number of deaths and costs due to tobacco related diseases maintained  centrally.  However,  as  per  the  Report  on  'Economic  Burden  of  Tobacco  Related Diseases in India', the total economic costs attributable to tobacco use from all diseases in India in the year 2011 for persons aged 35 - 69 amounted to Rs. 1,04,500 crores (US$ 22.4 billion).
- (c): Section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, S upply and Distribution) Act, 2003 ( COTPA 2003) was amended in 2007 to provide for specified warning including a pictorial warnin tobacco products.

Contd……..

(d):  The  implementation  of  the  provisions  of  the  COTPA,  2003  lies  with  the  States/ Union Territories .

The  Central  Government  is  implementing  the  National  Tobacco  Control  Programme (NTCP) from 2007 - 08 with the objective of ensuring effective implementation of the provis under COTPA, 2003.  State and District Level Coordination Comm ittees have been set up under NTCP to oversee the implementation of COTPA.

(e): The Central Government has notified rules to regulate films and TV programmes depict scenes of tobacco usage to spread awareness. Such films and TV programmes are statuto y required to run anti - tobacco health spots, disclaimers and static health warnings.

The Ministry has started National Toll - free Helpline in 2008, with a primary aim to report violations  under  various  provisions  of  COTPA  2003.  In  addition,  this Helpline  provides information  on  harmful  effects  of  consumption  of  tobacco,  and  on  how  to  quit  tobacco including after -effects of quitting tobacco.

The  Ministry  also  started  National  Tobacco  Quitline  to  provide  tobacco  cessat services to the community and has launched a pan -India 'mCessation' initiative to reach out to tobacco  users  who  are  willing  to  quit  tobacco  use  and  to  support  them  towards  succe quitting through text - messaging via mobile phones.

The  stakeholders  are being  made  aware  on  a  regular  basis  about  the  adverse  effects  o tobacco  usage  on  health  through  various  anti -tobacco  campaigns  vide  different  modes  of communication.

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