Kerala hotels and restaurants to go smoke free

Hotel industry in Kerala is for making lives of Keralites all the more healthy by making hotels and restaurants tobacco smoke free. Major hotels and restaurants associations of the state have agreed to protect employees and customers from dangers of second-hand smoke by initiating necessary measures soon. 

Key office bearers and senior representatives of hotel associations including Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association (KHRA); South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA); South Kerala Hoteliers Forum (SKHF) and Association of Approved and Classified Hotels of Kerala (AACHK) are also united in their commitment to put up mandated signages and in preventing customers and employees from smoking in their premises. 

The Kerala hotel industry looks at the larger benefits that will accrue to public health as against the possible short-term losses from implementing smoke-free rules, Shri D Chandrasenan Nair, veteran hotel industry leader and General Convenor of South Kerala Hoteliers Forum (SKHF) has said. “By making our hotels and restaurants smoke-free, we are hopeful of attracting greater number of non-smokers including women and children.” 

Shri G Sudhiesh Kumar, State President of the 20,000-member-strong Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association said the decision to implement smoke-free rules was unanimously approved at the Annual General Meeting of the association that met at Kochi on 19 December.

“We realise that this endeavour is not easy especially in bar hotels but we are going ahead with the decision to protect non-smokers; the provisions of law will be implemented in a phased manner,” said Shri Kumar, who is also the Trivandrum District President of Kerala Bar Hotels Association. He also reiterated his association’s commitment to have COTPA mandated signages set up in all hotels and restaurants.

Shri MR Narayanan, Secretary General of South Kerala Hoteliers Forum has said that through this campaign the hotel industry wishes to communicate the message that efforts to curtail passive smoking should be taken up by all. 

Shri Mathew Thomas, senior representative of Association of Approved and Classified Hotels of Kerala (AACHK)  and Shri S Ajith Kumar, senior representative of South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA) have also expressed their commitment to the cause. 

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MoHFW releases new tobacco-control health spots

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released two new anti-tobacco spots titled ‘Child’ and ‘Dhuan’ to be screened in movies and TV whenever smoking scenes are depicted, under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) rules.

These will be effective from 2 October, 2013. These spots have been dubbed in 16 Indian languages for a pan India coverage. It is mandatory for cinema halls to prominently display these spots whenever smoking scenes are shown as part of the movie. These spots were by Shri CK Mishra, Addl. Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 1 October. 

Speaking at the media launch of the two new spots, Shri Mishrastated that since 2 October 2013 marks the completion of five years of implementation of smoke-free laws in India, the launch of the these two spots, ‘Child’ and ‘Dhuan’  reinforces the Government’s emphasis on the issue of secondhand smoke and implementation of smoke-free policies in India. While the narrative at present is more on control on smoking, the Ministry will soon move towards the smokeless form of tobacco. He said that the ban on gutka was a major achievement in the direction of banning the use of tobacco in the country.

 ‘Child’ and ‘Dhuan’  have been developed to warn about the health costs of smoking and second hand smoke and of the penalties to be faced by violating the smoke free law. ‘Child’ focuses on the health risks of smoking and secondhand smoke, while ‘Dhuan’ especially models the behavior expected of business managers, advocates, enforcement officials, smokers and non-smokers. The spots have been developed by World Lung Foundation.

COTPA rules were refined in 2005 to meet the challenge of tobacco imagery in films. However, these rules could only be implemented from 2 October, 2012 after addressing all the implementation concerns of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

As per the Rules, all films and TV programmes certified/produced on or after 2 October, 2012 that depict tobacco product or its use must have

• A strong editorial justification explaining the necessity of display of tobacco products or its use (to CBFC)

• Anti-Tobacco Health Spot of 30 seconds duration each (beginning and middle)

• Anti-Tobacco Audio Visual Disclaimer of 20 seconds duration each (beginning and middle)

• Anti-Tobacco Health Warning as a prominent static message during the period of display of tobacco products or their use

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Ban on Smoking in Public Places - How it all began

Kerala has been a pioneer when it comes to ban on smoking in public places thanks to the landmark judgement of Justice Narayana Kurup in the Hon'ble Kerala High Court in 1999. Some key excerpts below: 

      Public smoking of tobacco in any form whether in the form of cigarettes, cigars, beedies or otherwise is illegal, unconstitutional and violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

      Tobacco smoking in public places falls within the mischief of the penal provisions relating to "public nuisance" as contained in the Indian Penal Code and also the definition of "air pollution" as contained in the statutes dealing with the protection and preservation of the environment, in particular the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

      Section 268, IPC defines public nuisance as "A person is guilty of a public nuisance who does any act or is guilty of an illegal omission which causes any common injury, danger or annoyance to the public or to the people in general who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity, or which must necessarily cause injury, obstruction, danger or annoyance to persons who may have occasion to use any public right. A common nuisance is not excused on the ground that it causes some convenience or advantage."

       There can be no doubt that smoking in a public place will vitiate the atmosphere so as to make it noxious to the health of persons who happened to be there. Therefore, smoking in a public place is an offence punishable under Section 278, IPC. The punishment for the offence is fine which may extend to Rs. 500/- as prescribed under Section 278, IPC.

       Section 278: "Making atmosphere noxious to health.--Whoever voluntarily vitiates the atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the neighbourhood or passing along a public way, shall be punished with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees."

       Since smoking is a public nuisance, it can be more effectively abated by invoking Section 133, Cr.P.C, which states "Conditional order for removal of nuisance.--(1) Whenever a District Magistrate or a Sub-divisional Magistrate or any other Executive Magistrate specially empowered in this behalf by the State Government, on receiving the report of a police officer or other information and on taking such evidence (if any) as he thinks fit

      (2) No order duly made by a Magistrate under this section shall be called in question in any Civil Court.

Explanation.--A "public place" includes also property belonging to the State, camping grounds and grounds left unoccupied for sanitary or recreative purposes."

       If such an order is passed by the Executive Magistrate any person who disobeys the order is guilty of the offence punishable under Section 188, IPC.

Section 188: "Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.-- Whoever, knowing that, by an order promulgated by a public servant lawfully empowered to promulgate such order, he is directed to abstain from a certain act, or to take certain order with certain property in his possession or under his management, disobeys such direction, shall, if such disobedience causes or tends to cause obstruction, annoyance or injury, or risk of obstruction, annoyance or injury, to any persons lawfully employed, be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both :

and if such disobedience causes or tends to cause danger to human life, health or safety, or causes or tends to cause a riot or affray, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both."

       Explanation.-- It is not necessary that the offender should intend to produce harm, or con- template his disobedience as likely to produce harm. It is sufficient that he knows of the order which he disobeys, and that his disobedience produces, or is likely to produce, harm."

       Offence under Section 188, IPC is cognizable as per first schedule of Cr.P.C. Therefore, after the promulgation of an order under Section 133(a). Cr.P.C., if any person is found smoking in a public place, the police can arrest him without a warrant. The only condition is that the order is duly promulgated by the Executive Magistrates, The Executive Magistrates have a duty to promulgate such an order.

The full copy of judgement is available in the page 'Court Orders' of this blog

Courtesy - Indiankanoon

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Grim facts about tobacco

Courtesy: Economic Times

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TFK observes World No Tobacco Day 2013

TFK collaborated with The Directorate of Health Services; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology; Regional Cancer Centre and other organisations to observe World No Tobacco Day 2013. A variety of infotaining activities were organised over two days - 30 May and 31 May.

Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Oommen Chandy inaugurated the World No Tobacco Day observance event at Achutha Menon Institute of Health Sciences Auditorium on 31 May. In his inaugural address, the Chief Minister said that the Government will ban illicit tobacco advertisements at the points of sale in Kerala.

The Government will take all legal measures to reduce tobacco consumption such as ban on advertisements and increasing taxes. Cigarette taxes have been raised from 15 to 20% in the current Budget; the objective was not to raise revenue but rather to bring down consumption, the Chief Minister said. 

Thanks also to the Court’s intervention, public smoking has reduced a great deal in Kerala. However, it is a matter of concern that nearly 35% of people over 15 years use tobacco products in some form or the other. While poison kills suddenly, tobacco takes away precious lives slowly and painfully. A strong campaign and awareness building is needed against tobacco use, Shri Chandy added. 

Dr K Radhakrishnan, Director, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology; Dr Paul Sebastian, Director, Regional Cancer Centre and Vice Chairman, Tobacco Free Kerala; , Dr KR Thankappan, Prof and Head, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies and Dr AS Pradeepkumar, Addl Director, Directorate of Health Services and Nodal Officer for tobacco control in Kerala also spoke. 

A multi-departmental panel participated in the technical session on ‘Role and Commitment of Education, Health, Police, Film and Media in Tobacco Control’ that followed. Shri Rajeev Sadanandan, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare moderated the session. Shri A Shajahan, Director of Public Instructions; Shri P Vijayan, Commissioner of Police, Trivandrum; Shri John Brittas, Managing Director, Malayalam Communications Ltd.; Shri TP Madhukumar, Kerala Regional Officer, Central Board of Film Certification and Shri K Anil Kumar, Joint Commissioner, Food Safety were the panelists. The speakers contended that while various departments are making independent efforts, there is a need for collective and coordinated efforts to tackle the scourge of tobacco use.

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Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi awarded for tobacco control efforts

Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, cancer surgeon at Mumbai's Tata Memorial Hospital has won the prestigious Judy Wilkenfeld Award for International Tobacco Control Excellence by the 'Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids' for his innovative efforts in reducing tobacco consumption in India.

"The smokeless tobacco industry has unleashed an epidemic of such cancers in India, with alarming increases among our youth. In fact, India has earned the dubious distinction of being the mouth cancer capital of the world," Mr Chaturvedi said in his acceptance speech through video.

He added that tobacco kills at least one million Indians each year.

This is equivalent to ten packed jumbo jets crashing every day or ten tsunamis hitting our shores every year.

Mr Chaturvedi also heads the advocacy group Voice of Tobacco Victims, which is leading India's growing tobacco control movement that has resulted in ban of smokeless tobacco products in nearly all Indian states and increased taxes on tobacco throughout the country.

"We have worked through our courts and state governments to ban sale of gutka, a cheap and popular form of smokeless tobacco that is a primary cause of the oral cancer epidemic. 23 of India's 28 states and five of seven union territories have now banned the sale of gutka," Mr Chaturvedi said.

He added that tax on tobacco products in 20 Indian states covering a total population of over 700 million people have been increased.

"If these tax increases result in comparable price increases, they can save as many as 5 million lives. These changes were unimaginable just a few short years ago," he said.

The Wilkenfeld Award was established in honour of Judy Wilkenfeld, the founder of Tobacco-Free Kids' international program, who passed away in May 2007. 

The award recognises international tobacco control advocates who contribute significantly to reducing tobacco use and inspire others to do the same in the spirit exemplified by Wilkenfeld. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a leading force in the fight to reduce tobacco use and its deadly toll in the United States and around the world.

Courtesy: NDTV

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Kerala Police collect Rs. 1.5 million as fine from smokers

The Kerala Police have collected around Rs.1.5 million as fine after stepping up vigil in the past five months against those smoking in public places, according to information available on the website of the state police.

"A total 9,885 people were fined across 20 police districts, netting Rs.15.75 lakh (Rs. 1.57 million). For the sake of administrative convenience, 14 districts in the state have been grouped under 20 police districts," Kerala police website said.

The fines were collected from October 1 last year to February 28 this year.

The ban on smoking in public places was found to be most strictly enforced in Ernakulam rural where 3,793 people were fined.

Kannur district came in second with 3,172 people penalised for smoking in public places.

With no case reported in October, police consistently stepped up their vigil in Kannur and collected Rs.6.34 lakh between November and February.

The fines collected in Idukki district also showed an upward trend. From six cases of violations in the district in October, the number rose to 65 cases in February.

Sale of tobacco products to minors has also invited police action with 1,248 people fined and Rs. 2.26 lakh collected from violators from across the state, according to the website.

Smoking is prohibited in public places in India under Section 4 of the provisions of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) 2003.

Courtesy: IANS

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Workplace ideal for tobacco cessation

The workplace is an excellent setting to conduct a tobacco cessation programme, says a review paper titled 'An Overview of tobacco problem in India.'

This appears to be a very relevant recommendation considering that 17.5 per cent of adults in Kerala were exposed to tobacco smoke at the work place. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2009-10 shows that 21.5 per cent of men and 3.7 per cent women were exposed to second-hand smoke at the workplace.

Having a tobacco cessation at the workplace will give an opportunity to interact with large number of people simultaneously, help to train the industrial medical staff in tobacco cessation activities, promises positive peer pressure and a stable population for follow-up. 

Several cessation activities have been conducted at a variety of workplaces in both urban and rural India, demonstrating a good quit rate, the study states.

Other methods of cessation, like the group counselling, behavioural interventions in adolescents and pregnant women, technology-driven interventions, such as telephone counselling, dedicated quit lines, and mobile and web-based technologies have recently gained popularity. 

Combining different interventions gives good results as compared with a single intervention, adds the study that has been published in the Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. 

Source: PubMed

Image Courtesy: Eorthopod

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Apex Bank's recommendation to check contraband tobacco products

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recommended to the government that a special clause in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy needs to be introduced to check foreign funds clandestinely flowing into the tobacco sector under the guise of brand building and marketing activities.

RBI in a letter sent to the finance ministry has highlighted the fact that there is a need to check "circumvention of FDI norms by international tobacco companies and their conduits", sources said.

The central bank has recommended that the government should incorporate a specific clause to plug this loophole. RBI has cited the example of the lottery business, in which the government has banned FDI and also introduced a specific clause pertaining to marketing as well.

The FDI notification related to the ban on lotteries states, "Besides foreign investment in any form, foreign technology collaboration in any form, including licensing for franchise, trademark, brand name, management contract, is also completely prohibited for lottery business and gambling and betting activities."

The note further states, "A notification akin to that in the lottery business should be issued in order to prevent such FDI in the guise of current account flow into the tobacco/cigarette industry."

According to the new clause, "Foreign fund investment received by an Indian company in any form, including that in the guise of current account transactions for the purpose of creating band awareness, brand building, promotion and management contract, is also completely prohibited for cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes etc."

The issue is considered controversial as even the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has alleged that although the government has prohibited FDI in the tobacco sector since May 2010, multinationals have set up entities in India for wholesale trading. This serves as a platform for creating demand for their brands, which is then met through large-scale contraband/smuggling, according to FICCI.

"This adversely impacts domestic farmer income, employment and revenue interests. Hence, the existing ban on manufacturing must be strengthened by extending the ban to cover FDI in manufacture as well as wholesale trade in these products," according to FICCI.

Source: India Today

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Gutkha ban: Supreme Court seeks compliance report from states

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought compliance reports from all state governments that have banned the sale and manufacture of gutkha and paan masala containing tobacco. They have been given four weeks to submit their reports.

Gutkha, zarda, pan masala, gul, bajjar and such other toxic and addictive forms of chewing tobacco are mandated to be banned by various states, as per Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations of 2011, made under the Food Safety and Standards Act. Presently, 23 states and five Union Territories in India have banned the gutkha products.

The bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and Kurian Joseph issued notices to the health secretaries of all the 23 states and 5 Union Territories to file compliance reports on the implementation of the ban. The court also asked why the products have not been banned in other states and why Regulation 2.3.4 has not yet been implemented. The order was given in the case of Ankur Gutkha vs. Indian Asthma Care Society.

The Supreme Court passed its order after the submissions by additional solicitor general Indira Jaisingh on behalf of the Centre that gutkha is being manufactured and sold in these states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, in violation of law. She also claimed that the rules are not being properly implemented by the state authorities.

Shri Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Health for the Million Trust, in his submissions underlined how the ban is not being properly enforced as there is no control over manufacturing units. The banned products are also easily available from states where gutkha has not been banned. Advocate Vishnu Behari Tewari, appearing on behalf of Indian Dental Association, demanded a nationwide ban on all forms of chewing tobacco products.

Source: Down to Earth

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Smoking right after waking up raises cancer risk

Smoking a cigarette immediately after waking up in the morning may increase the risk of developing lung or oral cancer, a new study has warned. This finding is critical in Kerala, where 58.6% of daily tobacco users in Kerala consume tobacco within half an hour of waking up, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2009-10).

The study found that smokers who consume cigarettes immediately after waking have higher levels of NNAL — a metabolite of the tobacco specific carcinogen NNK — in their blood than smokers who refrain from smoking a half hour or more after waking , regardless of the number of cigarettes smoked per day. 

The study was conducted by said Steven Branstetter, assistant professor of biobehavioural health in Pennsylvania State University, and his colleague Joshua Muscat, professor of public health sciences. The researchers examined data on 1,945 smoking adult participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who had provided urine samples for analysis of NNAL. These participants also had provided information about their smoking behaviour, including how soon they typically smoked after waking. researchers.

The researchers found that around 32% of the participants they examined smoked their first cigarette of the day within 5 minutes of waking; 31% smoked within 6 to 30 minutes of waking; 18% smoked within 31 to 60 minutes of waking; and 19% smoked more than one hour after waking.

According to Branstetter, other research has shown that NNK induces lung tumours in several rodent species. Levels of NNAL in the blood can therefore predict lung cancer risk in rodents as well as in humans. In addition, NNAL levels are stable in smokers over time, and a single measurement can accurately reflect an individual's exposure.

In addition, the researchers found that the NNAL level in the participants' blood was correlated with the participants' age, the age they started smoking and their gender. 

Branstetter said, "Most importantly, we found that NNAL level was highest among people who smoked the soonest upon waking, regardless of the frequency of smoking and other factors that predict NNAL concentrations. People who smoke sooner after waking inhale more deeply and more thoroughly, which could explain the higher levels of NNAL in their blood." 

Source: Times of India

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Bidi use increases Kerala’s most common cancer risks: Study

India’s first cohort studies have conclusively proven that bidi smoking presents a many fold increase in the incidence of Kerala’s most prevalent cancers among men.

Separate studies on the impact of bidi smoking on lung and oral cancers, and cancers of larynx and hypo pharynx in men between the age group of 30-84 in Karunagappally of Kollam district show that bidi – unfiltered tobacco flakes rolled in tendu leaf and tied with thread - is indeed among the most harmful smoking products.

The cohort study on bidi and lung cancer, covering a total of 65,829 men, found that bidi smokers had a 3.9-fold increase in lung cancer incidence when compared to those who never smoked bidis. The risk of cancers affecting the cheek (buccal) and lips (labial) showed a nearly four-fold increase in the cohort study covering 66,277 men.

Yet another painful group of cancers are those affecting the lower part of the throat including voice box, known as laryngeal and hypo pharyngeal cancers. Another cohort study conducted on 69,943 men, again in the 30-84 age group in Karunagappally, shows a significant relationship relation between bidi smoking and cancers affecting the larynx and hypo pharynx.

Dr P Jayalekshmi of Regional Cancer Centre and the principal author of the studies on bidi-induced lung, oral, laryngeal and hypo pharyngeal cancers said, “The mainstream smoke of bidi contains a much higher concentration of carcinogenic hydrocarbons. Bidi smokers also are found to be taking five puffs per minute compared to two puffs by cigarettes in the same time. All these contribute to increasing the carcinogenic nature of bidi smoke.”

The Karunagappally studies have also reiterated the common knowledge that bidi smoking is more widespread among those with lowers levels of education and lower family income. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2009-10) has it that 31.1 per cent of male bidi smokers in the country have no formal schooling while 19.7 per cent are self-employed. Bidi smokers in Kerala spend nearly Rs.140 monthly on this habit. 

Image courtesy Wikipedia

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Kerala Budget's tobacco taxes dismays activists

The Kerala Budget 2013-14 has raised cigarettes by a token, from 15 per cent to 20 per cent, while it has left bidis taxes untouched. Bidis, which among the most harmful smoking products, continue to be zero VAT slab.

Tobacco control activists share their thoughts:

Justice K Narayana Kurup, Former Judge of Kerala High Court and the legal luminary behind the legendary smoking ban in Kerala in 1999 said, “It pains me to see that the Government has given low priority to an-all important public health issue when it comes to taxing tobacco products. Exempting bidi from taxes to safeguard the interest of the poor does not hold merit, as poor bidi smokers could lead a healthy and longer productive life if they can reduce consumption, brought out through tax-induced price hikes.”

“Our neighbouring Tamil Nadu is taxing bidis at 14.5 per cent, why can’t Kerala do the same?” Justice Kurup, also founder, Anti Tobacco Foundation, Kochi asks. “The tax increase on cigarette is also disappointing in a state which prides itself for its public health initiatives,” he added.

Adv A Sampath MP said, “Tobacco use is high in Kerala and controlling it is vital for prevention of non-communicable diseases. The use of tobacco reflects in the growing health risks among our people. I hope that the Government of Kerala will wake up to this worrisome factor and initiate measures to curb its use by levying higher taxes on all tobacco products.”

Dr Tiny Nair, Head, Department of Cardiology, PRS Hospital said, “Taxing tobacco products is a proven way to reduce consumption, as WHO studies have shown. There are 1.6 million bidi smokers in Kerala, who mostly belong to poorest socio-economic backgrounds. Taxing bidis, which are among the world’s most harmful smoking products, will contribute to bringing down use among bidi smokers. Irreplaceable lives can be safeguarded from untimely morbidity and mortality.” 

Dr Nair adds that any reduced consumption brought out through increased tobacco taxes will also save non-smokers from the negative effects of passive smoking. “Passive smoking is not some third person singular number anymore; it affects each one of us. The particles in the unfiltered smoke that drifts from burning cigarette are finer and more concentrated, thus increasing their capacity to penetrate deeper and stay longer in the lungs of a passive smoker than the actual smoker. Revenues raised from higher taxes on tobacco products can finance large-scale tobacco cessation measures.” 

Magician Gopinath Muthukkad who spreads anti-tobacco messages through magic said, “A man smoking in his house is in fact passing on unseen hardships to his family members including children. WHO figures show that worldwide 165,000 children have lost their lives to passive smoking. 

Even though Indian tobacco control legislation COTPA has banned smoking in public places, it is poorly implemented. What we need to do is to make cigarettes and bidis unaffordable to the poor who bear the higher brunt of diseases that cripple their life and make them unproductive to eke out a living. This can be possible only by raising taxes on these products.”

“The courage shown by the Government to ban gutkha and pan masala in the state was praiseworthy. A similar people-oriented commitment is found missing in this Budget when it comes to taxing bidis and cigarettes,” Shri Muthukkad added.

Image courtesy various sites

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Rajasthan sets an example for Kerala

The WHO best practices are that taxes should constitute 65% - 70% of the retail price of tobacco products and Rajasthan, setting an example for Kerala and the rest of the country, has raised taxes on all tobacco products to 65% in the 2013-14 Budget presented by Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot who also holds the Finance Portfolio on 6 March. 

In the process, the state will be able to save an additional 340,000 as tobacco users quit and new users do not enter the market due to the increased price of tobacco, according to a modelling by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Rajasthan clearly testifies the theoretical framework that increasing price of tobacco through tax increases will decrease its consumption, save lives and raise tax revenue. Since 2010, Rajasthan has consistently raised taxes across all products from 20% to 40% in 2011-12 and to 50% in 2012-13.

A study analysing the immediate impact of the 2011-12 tax increase found that increased taxes led to 8% and 6.2% reduction in users’ consumption of cigarettes and beedis respectively. During the same year, Rajasthan tax earnings from cigarettes were Rs 139.23 crores and Rs 312.08 crores from beedis.

The Johns Hopkins modelling has it that VAT tax increases in Rajasthan in fiscal year 2010-11 alone has saved over an estimated 567,000 lives and the increase to a VAT of 50% in fiscal year 2011-12 another additional 243,000. 

In Kerala, cigarettes are taxed at 15%, while beedis are not taxed at all. Tobacco use causes over 40% of cancers in Kerala.

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Expensive cigarettes equals more revenue and less health risks

Announcing an increase of excise duty on cigarettes, Finance Minister
Shri P Chidambaram during his Budget speech on Thursday said, “What does a Finance Minister turn to when he requires resources? The answer is cigarettes.”

The FM could well have rephrased his comment to what should government do to force people to quit smoking? The answer is, impose higher tax on cigarettes.

Rajasthan has shown the way. Consumption of cigarettes, bidis and zarda (chewing tobacco) has declined drastically in the state since the last three years after the state government increased tax rate on tobacco products from 20 per cent to 50 per cent.

While in terms of value, cigarette sale was Rs 413.55 crore in 2010-11, it came down to Rs 349.67 crore in the following year while in the first six months of current financial year the total sale of cigarettes was just Rs 160.28 crore.

Similarly, bidi industry registered a decline in sale by more than 50% in last two years from Rs 73.45 crore to Rs 25.10 crore and chewing tobacco sale dropped from Rs 31.54 crore to Rs 14.56 crore.

Buoyed by this trend the state government is contemplating a 50 per cent hike in the tax rate on tobacco products in the upcoming Budget. The state government while presenting a paper on strategy to reduce tobacco consumption in the National Consultation on Economics of Tobacco in December last year proposed to increase tax rate on tobacco products from existing 50 per cent to 75 per cent in line with WHO norms.

Experts say that raising taxes on cigarettes and bidis would have twin impact on health and revenue. Dr Virender Singh, Medical Superintendent of SMS Hospital said, “Cost escalation in tobacco products would not only reduce their consumption but also increase revenue for the government.” If the trend continues actual health benefits would be witnessed in a decade, he added.

As per WHO, in developing countries every 10% increase in price of tobacco will result in 8% reduction in tobacco use or consumption.

A recent study titled ‘Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Taxation in India’ also highlights the crucial role that the government can play in reducing tobacco-related deaths by raising taxes on tobacco products.

Quoting a study by John’s Hopkins University (USA), Dharamveer Katawa, secretary Indian Asthma Care Society said, “The state government saved four lakh young lives when it raised tax rate on tobacco products from 20 per cent to 40 per cent.” At the same time, the state government’s earnings from tax on tobacco products have increased almost three folds. From Rs 288.16 crore in 2009-10, it went up to Rs 627.82 crore in the last financial year.

Courtesy: Daily Bhaskar

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Tobacco Control Sensitisation for Education Officials

A Shajahan

Tobacco Free Kerala organised a tobacco control sensitisation programme for education officials of Kerala at Al-Saj Convention Centre, Kazhoottam, Trivandrum on February 7, 2013.

The sensitization programme was done during a capacity-building exercise for Education Department Officials conducted by the National University of Educational Planning and Administration. 

In his opening remarks, Director of Public Instruction Shri A Shajahan said that the State Government gives great thrust to the tobacco free campaign. The objective of the Government is to create tobacco free.

Dr AS Pradeep Kumar, Addl. Director of Health Services, Government of Kerala gave a detailed presentation on COTPA Act, 2003 and its implementation in schools. He dealt at length about Sec 4 and Sec 6 (b) and the statutory boards to be insalled in schools as mandated under the law. 

Dr Paul Sebastian

Dr Paul Sebastian, Director RCC and Vice Chairman, TFK talked about the health hazards caused by the use of tobacco products. He used images of patients affected with cancers of oral cavity to drive home the harmful impacts of tobacco use. 

Dr Sebastian also showed videos of two tobacco victims – one an elderly man and another a young man – both of whom had lost out on precious productive years and had to face the trauma of cancers.

Irinjalakuda DEO Shri CC Jacob described the efforts taken to make Irinijalakuda educational district tobacco free. He pointed out that this was possible due to collective efforts by all including school administrations, police, parents and public.

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TFK observes World Cancer Day

Tobacco Free Kerala, a coalition led by Regional Cancer Centre, joined hands with Swasthi Charitable Foundation to to initiate a state-wide school based cancer awareness programme on World Cancer Day. 

His Excellency Governor of Mizoram Shri Vakkom B Purushothaman inaugurated the programme held at St Mary's Higher Secondary School - the school with the highest student strength in Kerala with nearly 9,000 boys and girls in its rolls. 

Shri Purushothaman said that fear is a major cause of death due to cancer. “When my mother was 80 years, she underwent an operation for breast cancer. On the advice of her doctor, we did not tell our mother about her condition though she was on medications. She lived without any complications for three years. A chance remark made by a relative about her disease however took here through a phase of fear, and she passed away within two months of that knowledge,” he recounted.

Organising Secretary, Santhigiri Ashram Swami Gururetnam Jnana Thapaswi who presided over the function said that similar cancer awareness programmes would be conducted in educational institutions across Kerala. 

Director of Public Instruction Shri A Shajahan exhorted students to keep away from tobacco products as they are proven to be a major cancer-causing factor. “Smoking and tobacco chewing might seem heroic to students, but they result in endless misery. Around 45 per cent of cancers are attributed to tobacco use.”

Shri Shajahan also told students about the efforts taken by the Government and his department for tobacco control efforts. Committees have been formed at the state, district and school level for implementing the Government’s intent of strict monitoring of tobacco use among students. “The Committees at the school level, which also has representation from the police and PTA has been authorised to ensure that no tobacco products are sold around schools,” he added. 

Shri Palode Ravi MLA; Shri Pirappancode Murali Ex MLA; Principal Secretary IT Shri PH Kurien; well-known novelist Dr George Onakoor; noted film actor Shri Jagadish, playback singer Shri G Venugopal and a host of other dignitaries were present. Shri Jagadish and Shri Venugopal enthralled the school children with their lilting melodies. 

Prof. & Head, Community Oncology Dr Remani Wesley; Addl Prof., Surgical Oncology, RCC Dr Paul Augustin and Asst Prof., Community Oncology Dr R Jayakrishnan collectively answered student queries on cancer.

General Secretary of Swasthi Charitable Foundation Shri Aby George delivered the welcome address and Principal of St.Mary’s School Rev. Dr. Varkey Attuparuthu proposed thanks.

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Dail 1800 227787 to quit

A National Tobacco Cessation Quit Line - 1800 227787 - is available on all days from 9 am to 9 pm for all those seeking support to quit the butt.

The toll-free Quit Line, launched last World No Tobacco Day, will provide free support and guidance to tobacco users to overcome their addiction and increase their chances of quitting successfully. 

This Quit Line is designed to help tobacco users by answering their queries, formulating a personalised quit plan depending on their tobacco consumption pattern (cigarettes, beedis and other forms of chewing tobacco) and supporting them through the entire 12 week journey of quitting tobacco through a combination of phone calls, SMSs, emails and hand deliveries. 

Callers will receive tobacco cessation counselling in English, Hindi and other languages. 

This free of charge service can be used by all tobacco users, friends and families of tobacco users and even healthcare practitioners seeking to provide tobacco cessation therapy for their patients. 

To support the telephone counselling, callers wanting on-ground support will be referred to a local Tobacco Intervention Initiative (TII) centre of the Indian Dental Association (IDA). At each centre  dentists trained in tobacco cessation will help tobacco users give up their addiction and improve their health. There are 500 TII centres across India.

Source: NWN News

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Generic cigarette packs could cut smoking: New study

A new study suggests generic packaging could significantly decrease the number of adults who smoke and lead to a decrease in the number of children who try cigarettes.  

Generic packaging, which does not use brand imagery or promotional text, would reduce the number of adult smokers by 1 percent and the number of children who try smoking by 3 percent, researchers found after evaluating the professional opinions of 33 tobacco control experts.

In the United Kingdom, where approximately 10 million adults smoke, a 1 percent decrease in smokers means about 500,000 fewer people lighting up.

Plain packaging helps reduce smoking rates in young people because it makes cigarettes look less appealing, lessens brand identification , and creates a change in the social norms associated with smoking, the study found.

“Given that the majority of smokers first try smoking in adolescence, the impact on children is of particular importance,” said Rachel Pechey, first author of the study from the University of Cambridge’s Behavior and Health Research Unit.

The experts who participated in the study believe it takes about two years for decreases in smoking rates to start taking effect once a plain-packaging strategy is implemented in a particular country. But the impact of the strategy may well go beyond what tobacco control experts have predicted.

“Despite the consistency of experts’ predictions that plain packaging would reduce smoking rates, many participants felt that the two-year time frame we used was insufficient and did not allow for the full impact of the packaging. This suggests generic packaging could have a greater impact over a longer term period,” Pechey said.

In December 2012, Australia became the first country to implement plain packaging.

The research took the opinions of 14 experts from the UK, 12 from Australasia and 7 from North America on the impact plain packaging would have on smoking habits.

Source: Livescience

Image: Marketing Magazine

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Acid in gutkha spits corrodes the famous Howrah bridge

It was first reported in 2010 that the pillars of Kolkata's landmark Howrah bridge were being used as spittoons by pedestrians who chewed gutkha – a tobacco product popular with millions in India.

Engineers who surveyed the cantilever structure then reported that the struts supporting the girders of the bridge had already lost half of their metal casing: The corrosion was apparently caused by acids in the gutkha.

Gutkha is a commercially produced pre-packaged mixture of crushed betel nut, tobacco, lime, paraffin, and other "secret" ingredients, many of which are carcinogenic and addictive.

Some brands of gutkha also contain lead, arsenic, chromium, nickel, and cadmium, which are as bad as nicotine. To make its shelf life longer, magnesium carbonate – which is used in fire extinguishers and is a known carcinogen – is also added to gutkha.

If this is what acids in gutkha can do to a high-tensil steel bars of the bridge, little wonder on what it can do the human body.

Source: CNBC

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Centre asks states to be strict on tobacco ads

The Central Government has sent an advisory to states reminding them to follow rules in restricting advertisement of cigarette and other tobacco products inside shops selling them.

The advisory has asked state governments to implement rules, which stipulates a particular size for tobacco advertising boards inside shop without any illumination, one-third of which will carry a warning message in local language.

Even though the rules were framed in 2005, the advisory was repeated following a Supreme Court directive earlier this month to vacate a stay given by Bombay High Court in 2006 on these rules.  

Among other things, it gave specifications for advertisement at the entrance of or inside of a shop or warehouse (point of sale) selling tobacco products. 

In a letter to Chief Secretaries in the state, Shri Keshav Desiraju, a special secretary in the Union Health Ministry said size of these display boards should not exceed 60 cm x 45 cm, one third of which will contain an warning message prominently either saying 'tobacco causes cancer' or 'tobacco kills.'

Source: Deccan Herald

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Bollywood actors denounce smoking

After Rajinikanth, it is popular Hindi film actors who have publicly come out to denounce smoking.

Shah Rukh Khan, touted as the King of Bollywood, in a tweet has said, “Smoking is similar to hitting yourself over the head with a hammer because, when you stop ... you feel better ...” 

Khan has been under pressure from family, especially his daughter, to give up the habit. He landed into legal trouble for smoking publicly during a IPL cricket match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.

Another long-time smoker, actor Saif Ali Khan has also spoken about smoking harms one's health. In an interview, he called himself an "anti-smoking agent". 

"If you don't smoke or drink and respect your body, you can look great at 42. On the other hand, if you smoke and take drugs, you must realise that you are not in your 20s and you're not going to get away with it," the heartthrob of many has been quoted as saying.

"Even drinking and smoking have becoming boring and repetitive like all other negative things. It feels great to wake up feeling healthy, awake and alert," he added.

Image courtesy: Pardaphash

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15 ways how smoking ruins one's appearance

Smoking ruins one's appearance ... here's how

1. Bags under the eyes - Smokers are four times as likely as non-smokers to report feeling un-rested after a night's sleep, according to a study by Johns Hopkins University. It is also possible that nightly nicotine withdrawal leads to disturbed and fitful sleep. 

2. Psoriasis - With smoking, the risk of psoriasis - an autoimmune-related skin condition that manifests as scaly skin - goes up a lot. According to a 2007 study, in smokers who puff a pack a day for 10 years or less, psoriasis risk goes up 20 per cent; with 11-20 years, risk increases by 60 per cent. The risk of psoriasis doubles in those who have been smoking for over two decades. 

3. Icky teeth - Nicotine in cigarettes can stain teeth. So in addition to the escalating costs of buying and smoking cigarettes, smokers would have to shell out hard-earning money in periodic visits to the dentist to clean up the stains. 

4. Premature aging and wrinkles - Experts agree that smoking accelerates aging, so that smokers look 1.4 years older than non-smokers, on average. Smoking hampers the blood supply that keeps skin tissue looking supple and healthy.

5. Yellow fingers - The nicotine in cigarette smoke can not only make teeth brown, but it is also notorious for staining fingers and nails as well.

6. Thinner hair - Smoking hurts the hair too. Experts think the toxic chemicals in smoke can damage the DNA in hair follicles and generate cell-damaging free radicals as well. Smokers have thinner hair that tends to go gray sooner than non-smokers. 

Men who smoke are about twice as likely to lose their hair as non-smokers, after taking into account factors that increase the risk of baldness, such as aging and genetics, according to a 2007 study in Taiwan.

7. Scarring - Nicotine causes vasoconstriction, a narrowing of the blood vessels that can limit oxygen-rich blood flow to the tiny vessels in the face or other parts of the body. In smokers, wounds will take longer to heal and leave scars that are bigger and redder than non-smokers. 

8. Tooth loss - Smokers face are at greater risk from all kinds of dental problems, including oral cancer and gum disease. In fact, according to a 2005 UK study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, smokers are up to six times more likely than non-smokers to develop gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.

9. Natural glow is gone - Smoking causes certain facial characteristics, such as wrinkles, gauntness, and a gray appearance of the skin. 

Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which displaces the oxygen in the skin, and nicotine, which reduces blood flow, leaving skin dry and discoloured. Cigarette smoking also depletes many nutrients, including vitamin C, which helps protect and repair skin damage.

10. Wound healing - Several studies have found that smokers do not heal as well after surgeries such as face-lifts, tooth extractions, and periodontal procedures.

11. Warts - Smokers are more susceptible to infection with human papilloma virus (HPV), a large family of viruses that can cause warts—including genital warts.While genital warts are caused by sexually transmitted types of HPV, smoking is also a risk factor. Even taking the number of sex partners into account, women who smoke are nearly four times as likely to have genital warts as non-smokers, according to one study.

12. Skin cancer - Smoking is a leading cause of cancer, including lung, throat, mouth, and esophageal cancer, so it should be no surprise that cigarettes can also increases the risk of skin cancer. According to a 2001 study, smokers are three times as likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common type of skin cancer, than non-smokers.

13. Stretch marks - The nicotine found in cigarettes damages the fibres and connective tissue of the skin, causing it to lose elasticity and strength. Cigarettes contribute to creating stretch marks and red skin striations. 

14. Flabby tummy - Cigarettes can be an appetite suppressant, and often smokers have a lower body weight than non-smokers. A 2009 study in the Netherlands found that smokers had more visceral fat than non-smokers. This deep fat pads internal organs and can accumulate in the midsection, ultimately increasing the risk of other diseases, such as diabetes.

15. Cataracts - Cigarette smoking can increase the risk of cataracts by putting oxidative stress on the lens of the eye. Studies have shown that continued smoking can add up to a 22 percent increased risk of cataract extraction, according to one study. 

Source: MSN

Image courtesy: BBC

Note on the image - Twins, 22, made up to show how they would look at 40 if Kirsty, left, was a smoker and Kelly, right, was not

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