Read articles from India

August 02, 2022 by filtermag.org

In late 2019, the Indian government issued a ban on vaping products. The ordinance, originally announced by the finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and passed by parliament months later, not only disallows the sale, manufacturing, and distribution of e-cigarettes, but also their importation, exportation, transport, storage and advertisement.

Sitharaman couched the move with the usual context—youth were experimenting with them too much, or at least would do so—and even said that “unfortunately, e-cigarettes got promoted initially as a way in which people can get out of the habit of smoking cigarettes.” [...]

March 28, 2022 by scmp.com

Anti-tobacco advocates have for years pushed for a “tobacco endgame”, where young people will be banned from ever buying cigarettes in their lifetimes. New Zealand got the ball rolling when it announced its intention to gradually raise the minimum smoking age, so that it would be illegal for anyone born after 2008 to buy cigarettes. Singapore said New Zealand’s proposal was “attractive”, while Malaysia said it was mulling a plan to ban the sale of tobacco products to people born after 2005. This Week in Asia takes a look at discussions on kicking the habit in Malaysia, India and the Philippines.

February 28, 2022 by businesstoday.in

While the world is embracing science, innovation, and safety at the heart of policy making, India still lags far behind. India has a strange affinity to ban products and services cursorily, mostly on political or moral considerations rather than delving into available empirical evidence recognized globally. Resultantly, Indian consumers are denied the freedom to choose products and services which are available to consumers elsewhere in the world. Consumers mostly do not find representation in the decision-making process, which leads to framing and adoption of ineffective policies which may be doing more harm than good. 

January 21, 2022 by indiatimes.com

Expressing anguish over steep increase in the volume of sale of smuggled cigarettes in the state, Federation of All India Farmers Associations (FAIFA) has appealed to the state government to launch a crackdown on the sellers. The FAIFA said that illegal sale of unauthorised cigarettes is not only causing huge loss to the exchequer but also affecting the incomes of the tobacco farmers in AP.

[...] “Tobacco in AP generates enormous economic benefits in terms of agricultural employment, farm incomes, revenue generation and foreign exchange earnings. India is the world’s 2nd largest producer and exporter of tobacco [...]

December 03, 2021 by indiatimes.com

We find a strange adherence and affection for the prohibition of products in our country even though such products are allowed to be manufactured and traded legally worldwide. As a consumer, we strongly feel bans can be placed on products and related services only if there is a risk that they may cause serious injury, illness, or death. Globally, countries are engaged in harmonising laws and standards to promote Universal Quality and Safety Standards in the interest of public health. It has been well documented that bans have done little to protect the consumer, rather they encourage accelerated growth of contraband products.

November 30, 2021 by tribuneindia.com

In a startling revelation, the use of tobacco among women has gone up four times in the state during the past five years, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) has confirmed.

In contrast, men have started showing reluctance towards use of tobacco as it has come down by 32.81 per cent between 2015-16 and 2020-21, the national survey conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has revealed. However, the use of tobacco among both women and men in Punjab was much below the national average.

The development assumes significance as the initiatives undertaken by the state government against the use of tobacco have started showing positive results.

October 26, 2021 by thewire.in

The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved the marketing of e-cigarettes, reigniting a debate around the world, including in India, on whether the ban on e-cigarettes and vaping is justified.

Multiple groups in India have hailed this approval as an acceptance of the notion that vaping is a suitable alternative to smoking and in the best interest of public health. Those in favour of vaping have argued that it is a good tobacco alternative that will help people quit smoking. Those still opposed to the idea have contended that it is more dangerous than other tobacco alternatives, [...]

October 20, 2021 by indiatimes.com

Most students in the age group of 13-15 years smoke or use tobacco products in schools in the state, according to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4) released on Monday. After school (93.8%), students prefer homes of friends (2.4%), own homes (1.1%), social events (1%), public places (0.9%) and others (0.7%) for smoking, the survey shows.

IIPS professor Murli Dharan said the survey was conducted in 34 schools which have 2,735 students. Around 90% of the children said that they developed the habit of tobacco consumption from schools.

August 19, 2021 by indiatimes.com

Titled, The Tobacco landscape in India: An argument for harm reduction, the study has triggered some interesting thoughts for India’s big tobacco market and what it called its persistent and multifaceted problem.

So what did it say? It said a third of the Indian population uses both combustible and smokeless forms of tobacco, products available in an array of varieties. To cut such use, the government has pushed different tobacco control laws since the 70s but implementation is a big crisis.

August 04, 2021 by indiatimes.com

India is slowly witnessing a decline in smoking, owing to the pandemic. While this news brings a lot of hope, there is still a whopping 367 million tobacco users in India with7.7% ‘bidi’ smokers. So, a lot more people at still at risk of developing Cancer and other diseases related to smoking.

What’s worrying is that majority of the regular smokers of tobacco, marijuana, and bidi include young adults. Many teenagers and adolescents fall victim to smoking without being fully aware of the repercussions on their health. What starts as a feeling of ecstatic joy, eventually becomes and addiction and a lethal weapon.