Lok Sabha Question No. 1902 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Consumption of Tobacco Products
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Deepak Baij, S. Jagathrakshakan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1902 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30 TH JULY, 2021 CONSUMPTION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS

## 1902: SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ: SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

- (a) whether the Government has carried out any study on the impact of COVID-19 on the patients consuming tobacco products and if so, the details thereof;

Will the be pleased to state:

- (b) the  diseases  caused due  to  consumption  of  tobacco  products  and  whether  the Government proposes to curb consumption of tobacco in view of health hazards posed by it; (c) if so, the steps taken in this regard;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to levy additional tax on tobacco products with a view to discourage their consumption and if so, the status thereof.
- (d) whether the government has assessed economic cost of tobacco consumption and diseases caused by it and if so, the details thereof; and

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

Available  global  and  Indian  scientific  evidence  suggest  that  tobacco  is  a  major cause  of  premature  deaths  and  is  a  major  risk  factor  for  various  non-communicable diseases like cancer, cardio-vascular diseases, stroke, lung diseases etc. Various studies have  also  suggested  that  forty  percent  of  the  tuberculosis  burden  in  India  may  be attributed to smoking.

(a)  to  (e): Based  on  the  available scientific  evidence and  consistent  with  the  WHO statement    on  tobacco  use  and  COVID-19  issued  on  11 May  2020  (accessed  at https://www.who.int/news/item/11-05-2020-who-statement-tobacco-use-and-covid19) , the ministry has issued an advisory on 28-07-2020 regarding ' covid -19 Pandemic and Tobacco use in India . A copy of the said advisory is available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/COVID19PandemicandTobaccoUseinIndia.pdf .

Several steps have been taken by the Government to prevent tobacco consumption. Some of the major steps are as under;

- The  National  Tobacco  Control  Programme  (NTCP)  was  launched  in  2007- 08 with  the  aim  to  (i)  create  awareness  about  the  harmful  effects  of  tobacco consumption,  (ii) ensure  effective  implementation  of  the provisions  under COTPA, 2003 (iii)Set  up  tobacco  cessation  centres  to help  people  quit  tobacco use, and (iv) facilitate implementation of strategies for prevention and control of tobacco advocated by WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control.
- A comprehensive legislation, namely the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA 2003) to regulate the use of  tobacco products has been enacted. The provisions under COTPA, 2003 and the Rules made thereunder mandate prohibition of smoking in public places; ban on sale of tobacco products to and by minors, sale of tobacco products within a radius of 100 yards of educational institutions; prohibition on direct and indirect advertising  of  tobacco  products  and  mandatory  display  of  specified  health warnings.
- Rules have been notified to regulate films and TV programmes depicting scenes of  tobacco  usage  to  spread  awareness.  Such  films  and  TV  programmes  are statutorily  required  to  run  anti-tobacco  health  spots,  disclaimers  and  static health warnings.
- The Ministry has started National Tobacco Quitline to provide tobacco cessation 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 successful quitting through text-messaging via mobile phones.
- Specified health warnings to cover 85% of the principal display area of tobacco product  packs. The Quitline  number,  1800112356, has  been  included  in  new specified health warnings.
- Guidelines for  Tobacco  Free  Educational  Institutions  (ToFEI)  to  implement Section-6 of COTPA, 2003 have been disseminated to States/UTs.
- The  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Regulations  (FSSA)  issued  in  2011  under  the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 lay down that tobacco and nicotine cannot be used as ingredients in Food Products.

As  per  WHO  study  titled  'Economic  Costs  of  Diseases  and Deaths  Attributable  to Tobacco Use in India, 2017-18' has estimated that the economic burden of diseases and deaths attributable to tobacco use in India was Rs. 1.77 lakh crores, in 2017-18.

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