WHO report on tobacco control: Key findings, how India fares

WHO report on tobacco control: Key findings, how India fares

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Health

Context:

• Bengluru finds special mention in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report on tobacco control measures released on 1 August 2023.

Details:

• Hundreds of enforcement drives, putting up ‘No Smoking’ signs, and creating awareness about the effects of smoking and second-hand smoke resulted in a 27% reduction in smoking in public places in the city.
• Fifteen years ago, WHO had developed the MPOWER measures:
  • Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies;
  • Protect people from tobacco smoke;
  • Offer help to quit to-bacco; warn about dangers of tobacco;
  • Enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and
  • Raise taxes on tobacco products.
  • The report assesses the implementation of these measures.

What does the report say?

• In the 15 years since the MPOWER measures were first introduced, 5.6 billion people in the world – or 71% of the entire population – remain protected by at least one of the measures.
• This has increased from just 5% of the population in 2008.
• Across the world, there are 300 million fewer smokers today,with the prevalence of smoking declining from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021.
• The number of countries implementing at least one MPOWER measure has increased from 44 countries in 2008 to 151 in 2022.
• At least four countries – Brazil, Turkiye, Netherlands, and Mauritius– have implemented all the measures.
• The report says that almost 40% of countries now have completely smoke-free indoor public spaces.

The report has some bad news as well.

• There are at least 44 countries in the world that still do not implement any MPOWER measure.
• There are 53 countries that do not completely ban smoking in healthcare facilities.
• And only half of the countries have smoke-free workplaces and restaurants.
• E-cigarettes are harmful to both the people using them and those around them, especially when used indoors.

Why is it important to curb second-hand smoke?

• Of the estimated 8.7 million tobacco-related deaths each year, 1.3 million are of non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke.
  • Second-hand smoke has been linked to almost 400,000 deaths due to heart disease, over 250,000 deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, over 150,000 deaths due to stroke and lower respiratory disease each, and over 100,000 deaths due to diabetes.
• The report also adds that severe asthma, respiratory tract infections, and sudden infant death syndrome are more common among children exposed to second-hand smoke.
  • Around 51,000 deaths in children and adolescents under the age of 20 years is linked to exposure to second-hand smoke.

What about India?

• The report states that India has the highest level of achievement when it comes to putting health warning labels on tobacco products and providing tobacco dependence treatment.
• With 85% of cigarette packs carrying health warnings both on the front and back, India figures among the top 10 countries in terms of the size of health warnings.
• The cigarette packets in the country also carry a toll-free number for a quit-line.
• India has also banned the sale of e-cigarettes, and banned smoking in healthcare facilities and educational institutions.
• The report ranks the implementation of these bans an 8 out of 10 in healthcare facilities, 6 in schools, and 5 in universities.

• One of the biggest steps in the works is implementing warnings on OTT platform content when actors are seen using tobacco products.
• This would make India the first country in the world to do so. And it is needed.

Law to control tobacco use in India:

• The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA) is the principal comprehensive law governing tobacco control in India.
  • Replaced the Cigarettes Act of 1975 (largely limited to statutory warnings- ‘Cigarette Smoking is Injurious to Health’ to be displayed on cigarette packs and advertisements. It did not include non-cigarettes).
  • The 2003 Act also included cigars, bidis, cheroots, pipe tobacco, hookah, chewing tobacco, pan masala, and gutka.

Other initiatives:

• Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2020:
  • It was mandated that the specified health warning shall cover at least 85% of the principal display area of the package.
  • Of this, 60% shall cover pictorial health warning and 25% shall cover textual health warning.
• National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), 2008:
  • Objective: To control tobacco consumption and minimize tobacco consumption related deaths
  • Activities: Training and capacity building; information, education, and communication (IEC) activities; tobacco control laws; reporting survey and surveillance and tobacco cessation.
• mCessation Programme:
  • It is an initiative using mobile technology for tobacco cessation.
  • India launched mCessation using text messages in 2016 as part of the government’s Digital India initiative.
    • It uses two-way messaging between the individual seeking to quit tobacco use and programme specialists providing them dynamic support.
• Prevention and Control of Pollution Act of 1981- Recognized smoking as an air pollutant.
• Cable Television Networks Amendment Act of 2000- Prohibited the transmission of advertisements on tobacco and liquor in India.
• The Government of India has issued regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 which lay down that tobacco or nicotine cannot be used as ingredients in food products.
• 31st May is observed as ‘World No Tobacco Day’ every year to spread awareness about the deadly effects of tobacco consumption.

International Convention:

• Governments adopt and implement the tobacco control provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
• It is the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO.
• It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005.