The Economic Contribution of tobacco is far less than the deleterious effects of tobacco on Health, Environmental and Social Aspects: Dr. Ramadoss
Accepting the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director
General’s Special Award for Tobacco Control, today, the Union Minister for Health
& Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss said while tobacco has been considered
to be an important contributor to Indian economy, the economic contribution of
tobacco is far less than the deleterious effects of tobacco on health, environmental
and social aspects. The total economic
cost of treating related diseases was estimated at almost Rs.308.33 million in
2002-03 and this was significantly less than the total tax receipts of the Government,
from tobacco.
Presenting the Award to Dr. Ramadoss, Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang,
Regional Director, SEARO, WHO, said that the World Health Organisation deems it
an honour to acknowledge, with deep appreciation, the outstanding contributions
of the Hon’ble Minister for the steps taken to safeguard future generations from
the devastating consequences of tobacco use.
The function was also attended by Dr. S.J. Habayab, WHO Representative
to India, Dr. Poonam Singh Khetrapal, Deputy Regional Director and Shri Naresh
Dayal, Secretary (HFW).
The following is the text of the Health Minister’s speech:
“I thank the World Health Organisation in recognizing
our effort in Tobacco Control and conferring me with the Director General’s Special
Award. I take the opportunity of conveying
my sincere appreciations to DG, WHO.
Most of us are aware that tobacco is the foremost cause
of preventable death and disease in the world today. Due to its intake, millions
of persons suffer from mouth, throat and lung cancer, coronary artery and obstructive
lung diseases etc., resulting in serious human and social costs. In the absence of any strategic shift and
social change, India perhaps will have the fastest rate of rise in deaths attributable
to tobacco in the first two decades of the 21st century. Many of these deaths
would occur in the productive years of adult life, as a consequence of an addiction
acquired in youth.
The variety of forms
of tobacco use is unique to India. Apart from the smoked forms (cigarettes, bidis
and cigars), a plethora of smokeless forms of consumption exist and they account
for about 35 percent of the total tobacco consumption, viz.
gutka, khaini, zarda, mawa, mishri, paan masala etc. This has led to a very high
incidence of oral cancer in the country.
The Govt. of India enacted a comprehensive
legislation namely “Cigarettes and Other
Tobacco Products (prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce,
Production, Supply and Distribution) Act in May 2003. This
law was enacted almost at the same time. India ratified the WHO – Framework Conversion
on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2004.
The legislation is broadly aligned with FCTC obligation and include:
Ø
a total ban on direct
and indirect advertisements of all tobacco products;
Ø
prohibition on sponsorship
of sports and cultural events which encourage tobacco use;
Ø
ban on smoking in public
places; ban on sale of tobacco products to minors;
Ø
ban on sale of cigarettes
and tobacco products within a radius of 100 yards of educational institutions:
Ø
mandatory pictorial depiction
of specified health warnings and clear indication of nicotine and tar contents
on packets and cartons of all tobacco products.
The Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare have already framed Rules in respect of: -
Ø Provision of smoking in public places.
Ø Provision of advertisement on tobacco products.
Ø Ban on sale of tobacco products to minors.
Ø The Rules regarding mandatory depiction of specified
health warnings on tobacco packs have also been notified and would come into effect
from 1st October, 2007.
Ø The Rules relating to Nicotine and tar contents would
be framed as and when the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) is set up for which
I would soon be approaching the Union Cabinet.
The effective implementation of the legal provisions
is still an issue. One of the main reasons
is the lack of sensitization / awareness amongst the key stakeholders on the harmful
effects of tobacco consumption. There is also lack of a regulatory framework
for effective monitoring and enforcement. NRA
would seek to address some of these gaps.
The growing
menace of tobacco can only be effectively curbed if there is a synergistic campaign
and concerted effort by all the stakeholders.
For this purpose,
the Government of India has therefore decided to launch a new National Programme
for Tobacco Control in the XIth Five Year Plan. The proposed programme broadly envisages -
Ø Setting up of a NRA in 2007-08 for effective monitoring
and enforcement of Anti Tobacco Laws; FCTC provisions. The NRA would also be providing
for surveillance and lab testing facilities.
Ø The other important component is capacity building of
the stake at the local (District) level. We propose to help the States set up
State Tobacco Control Cells and District Level Monitoring/ Outreach. At the District level, it is proposed to –
a)
Train the health workers,
school teachers, etc. on ill effects of Tobacco;
b)
Engage NGOs, to carry
out school health campaign in the Government Schools.
c)
There is also a strong
IEC campaign, tailored to regional needs.
I have got the resource allocation increased from a mere Rs.
1 cr. (2005-06), to Rs. 5 cr. (2006-07, to Rs. 40 Cr. in 2007-08 for anti-tobacco
initiative. The further allocation of
resource is not an issue. The absorptive
capacity of resources in the States is an issue. The effective implementation of this new programme
lies with the States and with a few Central Government Departments.
We propose to hold a number of advocacy workshops in the country.
One National Workshop in Delhi and 5-6 regional workshops in the next 6-8
months to build advocacy on tobacco control.
We have identified price tax measures as an important tool
to modify consumption behaviour and have been pursuing with Hon’ble Finance Minister,
to raise / rationalize taxes on tobacco products, every year.
We are also pursuing with the other Ministries to synchronize the Government
policies on Trade, Commerce & Taxation with provisions/spirit of the Tobacco
Act.
India
would continue to play an important participative role at the global level – to
help build guidelines and protocols that facilitate the implementation of WHO
– FCTC Provisions.
I would like
to once again thank the DG, WHO for the Award
- recognizing India’s contribution to Global Tobacco Control.
(Release ID :29297)