Lok Sabha Question No. 3322 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Age Limit for Cigarette and Tobacco Consumption
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Harish Dwivedi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARED QUESTION NO. 3322 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2021

## AGE LIMIT FOR CIGARETTE AND TOBACCO CONSUMPTION

## 3322: SHRI HARISH DWIVEDI:

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  the  minimum  age  limit  of  cigarette  and tobacco consumption from 18 to 21 years;

- (b) if so, the time by which it is likely to be implemented;

(c) whether there has been a spurt in the consumption of cigarette and tobacco particularly among the youth in the last few years; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

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

(a)  to  (b):  As  per  Section  6  (a)  of  Cigarettes  and  Other  Tobacco  Products  (Prohibition  of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA, 2003) read with Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Amendment Rules, 2011, there is prohibition on sale of tobacco products to and by persons below the age of 18.

In  the  draft  Cigarettes  and  Other  Tobacco  Products  (Prohibition  of  Advertisement  and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Amendment) Bill, 2020,  hosted  in  public  domain  for  pre-legislative  consultation,  there  is  a  proposal  for increasing the minimum age limit from 18 to 21 years by amending Section 6 (a). The draft COTP (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was hosted in public domain for pre-legislative consultation. The Ministry has received representations, comments and suggestions on the draft Bill, which are under examination.

(c) to (d): As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2), 2016-17, conducted among 15 years and above there is a significant increase of one  year in the mean age at initiation of tobacco  use  from  17.9  years  in  GATS  1  (2009-10)  to  18.9  years  in  GATS  2  (2016-17). Further, as per the National Fact Sheet of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4), 2019, conducted  among  13-15-year-old  school-going  children,  there  has  been  a  decline  in  the current use of tobacco by 42% (from 14.6% in 2009 to 8.5 % in 2019). GYTS-4, 2019 data also  reveals  that  the  median  age  at  initiation  of  cigarette  and  bidi  smoking,  and  smokeless tobacco use were 11.5 years, 10.5 years and 9.9 years respectively.

Public Health is a State subject and the primary responsibility for enforcement of the Act, lies with the State Governments. Central Government in collaboration with State Governments are taking necessary measures for effective implementation of these provisions of COTPA, 2003,  and  Guidelines  for  Tobacco  Free  Educational  Institution  2019,  to  dissuade  young children and youth from tobacco use.

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