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Tobacco-Free Society Prescribed for India
*** India's tobacco industry employs 30 million people in its factories and on the fields. Funds for tobacco research are 30 times more than that for spreading awareness on the hazards of tobacco use. by Prakash Chandra ***\
A tobacco-free society for India is easily lost in a base of smoke. From beedi* to filter-tipped cthirties. India smokes a lot.
Now comes the Ministry of Health and other public health authorities who have launched a campaign to promote a tobacco-free society
The plan, discussed at length by health authorities, suggests attacking the very roots of the tobacco Industry. It caU* for finding substitute Crops for tobacco farmers rehabilitating workers employed in the Industry (including distributor* and retailer* who will have to find other jobs) and imposing a ban on all advertising of tobseco product*.
The action to phase out the use of tobacco in India was raeomcnended by the National Conference on Tobacco held recently at the All-lndian Institute of Medical Sciences here.
"We must recognise the ultimate goal of s tobaceo-free •ocfetv is at feast a couple of decade* away." say* Dr R. Thndon. a respected eanliok>-gw. This has got to be a stow
programme of phasing tobacco out"
But the Health and family Welfare Minister. M. L. Fotedar. has said the government intended to take an early decision on the proposal* made by the National Conference on Tobacco and introduce appropriate legislation to restrict tobacco u*c.
Many medical experts doubt whether a government move to ban advertising of cigarettes will be anything more than a cosmetic exercise. For. the government has done nothing to curb the proliferation and the toxic content of tobacco products.
Despite its avowed goal of promoting health, the government significantly retains interest tn the tobacco indus-try- Not only has ft invested a staggering 47.950 million rupees (USB 1.844 million) in the industry but the amount •pent on tobacco research is 30 Ume* more than that de-
voted to spreading public awareness on the hazards of tobacco use.
Studies have also shown that the tar and nicotine contents of Indian cigarette* and beedi* (atrong. focal cigarettes wrapped tn leaves preferred by most Indians) are almost double that found tn the West.
India's tobacco industry employs some 30 million people in its factories and on the fields. The industry revenue yields 20.000 million rupees (UM76B million) a year in terms of excise duty atone. It is the second largest eontrtbutor to the national revenue after the petroleum industry.
India is also a supplier of raw tobacco leaf to cigarette factories all over the world. Tobacco exports will likely reach 3.000 million rupees (U8B115 million) tn 1991-92. Cigarette exports also account for about 500 million rupees (USB 19 million) * year.
Understandably, there is a strong pro-tobacco lobby tn India. And mar^ groups representing tobacco farmer*, cigarette companies and dealer* strongly oppose the anti-to-bacco moves. The industry maintains that a cause-and -effect relationship between tobacco and disease* ha* not been sstabiiahed.
More to the point, the industry insist* that there are strong economic reasons why tobacco cannot be banned — it employ* around 30 million people and earn* 40.000 million rupee* (USB 1.538 million) In export*.
Mr Fotedar, the health minister. recognise* that tobacco cultivation and tu lndu»trtal proce**tng provide job* to mU-nona of Indian*. "But the ultimate goal of a tobaceo-free *o ctety 1* not negotiable.' he W*
A* a ftrot *tep. a ban on ad vertlstng of cigarette* and other tobacco product* In the print media la likely to be le-
aned by the government. Newspapers and magazines stand to lose about 10,000 million rupees (US9386 mll-iton) In annual advertising revenue*.
According to the independent Operation* Research Group, the budget for cigarette advertising ha* gone up almost four time* in the last five year*. In newspaper* and magazine*. It jumped from 25.9 million rupee* m (US 8 1 million) in IBM to B7 millton rupee* (US 13 7 nUUlon) in 1990.
The health minister admit* that a statutory warning tl»i smoking is harmftd to health
carried on cigarette packs ha* made no Impact "We are now exploring the possibility of in-' troducing another strategy which could have -a greater impact" says Health Minister Fotedar who has himself given up smoking.
Perhaps the introduction of slogan* like "Smoking lead* to cancer." "Smoking lead* to heart ailment*.' or Tor the •ake of the family. »top »mok •nA" could be of greater help. Such Biogen* will have to be displayed on cigarette cartons as conspicuous^ as the brand name ttself.
The National Conference on Tobacco also asked the government to ban the sponsorship by the tobacco Industry of sports and cultural events. Most of the cricket and tennis tournaments in the country are sponsored by well-known c1 gerette manufacturer*
The conference urged the government to sstablfoh a
National Anti-Tobacco Co mm is*ton which will frame legislation and coordinate the anti-tobacco campaign. It said lax revenue from tobacco products should be used by the National Antl-TobacCo Commission for health education and research.
Dr K. S. Reddy, a senior cardiologist at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, notes that the tobacco Industry ha* standard responses all over the world about the hazards of tobacco use.
But medical authorities. Including the World Health Orgeniaatton (WHO), soy that In countries where smoking is widespread, it Is re*pon*fbte for 80 90 psr cant of lung cancer deaths and 40 per cent of bladder cancer tfoalho.
According to the WHO s Dr Kenneth Stanley, oral runcsr is a major problem In South Asia where tobacco chewing With he betel nut Is popular. About 90 per cent of a* oral panasr* in South Asia eouM far at-tributad to toiMweo a*e.