National Centre for Human Settlements and
Environment (NCHSE), Bhopal welcomes the decision of the
Health Ministry of replacing the existing images on tobacco products and has
now released a new set of 85 percent pictorial health warnings for mandatory
display on both sides of the packets of cigarettes, bidis, and chewing
tobacco with effect from September 1, 2018. Government of India for
the first time introduced Quit Line number to be printed on all tobacco
products.
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| Dr. Pradip Nandi, Director General, NCHSE |
QUIT LINE NUMBER INTRODUCED FIRST TIME ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN INDIA
As per the notification, during the rotation period 2 images of specified health warnings as notified in the schedule shall be
displayed on all tobacco product packages and each of the images shall appear
consecutively on the package with an interregnum period of 12 months.
Textual
Health Warning. - For smoking and smokeless forms of tobacco products, the
word “TOBACCO CAUSES CANCER” and the word “TOBACCO
CAUSES PAINFUL DEATH” shall appear in white font colour on a red
background and the words “QUIT TODAY CALL 1800-11-2356” shall appear in white
font colour on a black background.
The Health Ministry has implemented, from
April 2016, large pictorial health warnings occupying 85 per cent on both sides
of all tobacco packages of cigarettes, bidis and all forms of chewing tobacco
products and have been in effect for almost 2 years.
India’s current international ranking for package
warnings is no. 3rd in the world, as outlined in the October 2016 Canadian Cancer Society
Report, Cigarette Package Health Warning International Status Report that
ranked 205 countries worldwide. The entire world applauded this
progressive step taken by India in tobacco control and saving human lives.
Implementing 85 percent pictorial warnings was a landmark step taken by the
Government of India. Shri J.P. Nadda was awarded by the World Health
Organization for this major reform in public health.
The recently released Global Adult Tobacco Survey
(GATS) 2016-17 by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) had put
to rest all apprehensions about the effectiveness of the
warnings, since 62% of cigarette smokers and 54% of bidi
smokers shared that they had thought of quitting because of the 85 percent
pictorial warnings on the packets. And 46% of smokeless tobacco users thought
of quitting because of the warnings on smokeless tobacco products says Ashim
Sanyal, COO Consumer VOICE.
Dr. Shekhar Salkar , Head of Department, Oncology, Manipal Hospital Goa and
President National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication says tobacco not only
causes direct cancer but also effects various other organs causing peptic
ulcer, oesophagus cancer, prostrate, urinary bladder, and pancreas. Pictorial health warnings on tobacco products are
the most cost-effective tool for educating on the health risks of tobacco use.
In a country like India, where people use several
languages and dialects, the pictorial warning transcends the language and,
in many cases, also the illiteracy barrier.
He adds that the new graphical health warning is much
more effective deterrent for younger generation who initiate tobacco use.
This is a very good initiative by
government of putting Quit line number on tobacco packets
