Lok Sabha Question No. 3373 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-18
Subject: Criteria for Tobacco Products
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: RAJU ALIAS DEVAPPA ANNA SHETTI, HEMANT TUKARAM GODSE

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3373 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH DECEMBER, 2015

## CRITERIA FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS

## 3373. SHRI RAJU SHETTY: SHRI GODSE HEMANT TUKARAM:

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  fixed any  criteria  and  limit  for  various  ingredients in cigarettes, pan masala, gutka and other tobacco products being marketed in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of complaints with regard to violation of aforesaid criteria/limit r ceived by the Government and the offenders penalized during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT - wise;

(c)  the steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken by  the  Government  to  discourage  smoking and consumption of tobacco products in the country;

(d) whether the Government proposes to impose complete ban on smoking and co sumption of tobacco in any form and has consulted th e State/UT Governments for the purpose; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the progress made in this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

- (a): This Ministry has not fixed any criteria and limit for various ingredients in cigarettes.

Under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, regulation 2.11.5 of the Food Saf and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 prescribes standards for pan masala as under:

Pan Masalameans the food generally taken as such or in conjunction with Pan, it m contain: -

Betelnut, lime, coconut, catechu, saffron, cardamom, dry fruits, mulethi, sabner other aromatic herbs and spices, sugar, glycerine, glucose, permitted natural colours , menthol and non - prohibited flavours. It shall be free from added coaltar colouring matter and any oth ingredient injurious to health.

It shall also conform to the following standards namely: -

- Total ash: not more than 8.0 per cent by weight (on dry basi s)
- Ash insoluble in dilute HCl acid: not more than 0.5 per cent by weight (on dry ba

Regulation  2.3.4  of  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Prohibition  and  Restriction Sales)  Regulations  2011  prohibits  use  of  tobacco  and  nicotine  as  ingredients  in  any products.

(b) : No  separate  data  is  being  maintained  centrally  by  FSSAI  with  regard to  th se violations.

(c) : The  Government  has  taken  a  series  of  measures  to  deter  people  from  consuming various tobacco products, including imported cigarettes:

- I. Enactment of the 'Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement  and  Regu lation  of  Trade  and  Commerce,  Production,  Supply  and Distribution) Act, (COTPA) 2003'.
- II. Ratification of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
- III. Launch  of  the  National  Tobacco  Control  Programme  (NTCP)  in  the  year  2007 - 08, with  the  objectives  to  (a)  cr eate  awareness  about  the  harmful  effects  of  tobacco consumption,  (b)  reduce  the  production  and  supply  of  tobacco  products,  (c)  ens effective implementation of the anti - tobacco laws and (d) help the people quit tobacco use through Tobacco Cessation Centr es.
- IV. Notification of rules to regulate depiction of tobacco products or their use in f TV programmes.
- V. Notification of rules on new pictorial health warnings on tobacco product package
- VI. Launch of public awareness campaigns through a variety of media.

(d )& (e): Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulatio 2011 dated 1st August 2011, issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 lay d as under:

'Product not to contain any substance which may be injurious to health: Tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food products'

So far, 34 States/Union Territories have issued orders for implementation of the Food Safety Regulations banning manufacture, sale and storage of Gutkha and Pan Masala containing  tobacco  or  nicotine.  Further,  12  States/Union  Territories  have  banned  ch tobacco such as zarda, khaini and other flavoured and processed chewing tobacco.