(a) whether the tobacco related diseases are increasing the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the total number of deaths in the country due to the use of tobacco, State-wise;
(d) whether the Government has taken any steps to curb the use of tobacco to control
tobacco-borne diseases; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT.PANABAKA LAKSHMI)
(a)to(c) : Tobacco is the cause for 50% of cancer deaths, 40% of all health related problems and a majority of
cardio-vascular and lung disorders in the country.Moreover, there are studies which show children getting
addicted to tobacco at an early age and also of the increase in the percentage of population which consumes
tobacco in any form.As per report of Tobacco Control in India, approx. 8-9 lakh persons die annually due to
tobacco attributable diseases.
(d) & (e) :‘The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade
and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003’ enacted in the year 2003 is intended to
discourage the consumption of tobacco, the salient features of which are as under:-
(i) prohibition of smoking in a public place;
(ii) prohibition of direct and indirect advertisement;
(iii) prohibition of sale of tobacco products to minors;
(iv) prohibition of sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions;
(v) Mandatory depiction to specified pictorial health warnings on all tobacco product packs;
(vi) Mandatory depiction of tar and nicotine contents alongwith maximum permissible limits on tobacco packs.
Strong advocacy efforts have been made with policy makers and other stakeholders in the area of tobacco
control.
The Government is in the process of launching a National Programme on Tobacco Control, the pilot of which has
already been started in a few of the identified States.