NEW DELHI: The Centre has directed all states to undertake special drives to enforce rules banning smoking in public places, prohibiting the advertisement of tobacco products and prohibiting the sale of tobacco products without statutory pictorial warnings to observe World No Tobacco Day on May 31.
In a letter to all the states/UTS, the Health Ministry said the states should prepare and launch an action plan for implementing the revised guidelines for Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI, 2019) at all state-level events, “aiming that all the educational institutions implement the guidelines strictly and be certified as tobacco-free.”
The states were also asked to undertake other activities for the WNTD campaign, including carrying out print media coverage, pamphlets in schools, wall paintings, hoardings, awareness drive through celebrities, public announcements, social media campaign, television, radio jingles, street plays, among others for creating awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use.
The ministry asked the states to share an action taken report within 10 days after WNTD 2025.
“In previous years, states/UTS have actively observed World No Tobacco Day by carrying out campaigns, organizing various activities and enforcing the Provisions of the COTPA, 2003 and PECA, 2019.
The successful and strong participation on this day would bring visibility to the National Tobacco Control Program’s efforts in reducing tobacco and nicotine use in India,” said V. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary in the Union Health Ministry.
“Large-scale programmes and events across schools, colleges, offices and at village level panchayats would create awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use as well as prohibited novel and emerging tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes,” she added.
Tobacco use is a significant risk factor for many chronic diseases, including cancer, lung disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is one of the significant causes of death and disease in India and accounts for nearly 1.35 million deaths every year.
Every year, the states observe World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) by conducting campaigns, organizing various activities, and enforcing the provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act (PECA), 2019.
267 million adults use tobacco, says survey
Nearly 267 million adults (15 years and above) in India are users of tobacco, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India, 2016-17. The most prevalent form of tobacco use in India is smokeless tobacco, and commonly used products are khaini, gutkha, betel quid with tobacco and zarda.