Sale of Loose Cigarettes and Beedis

• 29 Sep 2020

Why in News

The Maharashtra government has banned the sale of loose cigarettes and beedis, to reduce the consumption of tobacco and to comply with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003.

Key Points

• Other States: Chhattisgarh had banned the sale of loose cigarettes in 2020.
  
  • Karnataka banned the sale of loose cigarettes, beedis and chewing tobacco in 2017.
• Reasons for Ban:
  
  • The government’s aim is to make sure that users are able to see the mandated warnings on cigarette packaging.
  • Under COTPA, tobacco products need to be sold with graphic health warnings on their packaging and loose cigarettes do not comply with this rule.
    
    • Section 7 of the Act mentions, no person shall, directly or indirectly, produce, supply or distribute 6 cigarettes or any other tobacco products unless every package of cigarettes or any other tobacco products produced, supplied or distributed by him bears thereon, or on its label.
    • The Act also mentions that the warning should be specified on not less than one of the largest panels of the packet in which the cigarettes or any other tobacco products have been packed for distribution, sale and supply.
• Pattern of Tobacco Use in India
  
  • According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2016-2017, which was a household survey conducted on over 74,000 people aged 15 years or more.
    
    • Maharashtra has the lowest prevalence of tobacco smoking in the country.
    • Over 91% of current smokers in the country believe that smoking causes serious illness.
    • Smoke Tobacco- 10.7% of all adults (99.5 million) in India smoke tobacco.
    • In either Form- 28.6% of all adults use tobacco either in smoke or smokeless form.
  • Average Monthly Expenditure: In India, for a daily cigarette smoker around Rs 1,100 and that for a daily beedi smoker is estimated to be around Rs 284.
  • Loose Tobacco Buyers: The survey also showed that 68% of smokers, 17% bidi smokers, and 50% of smokeless tobacco users in India purchase.
  • As per the Tobacco Free Union, over 1 million people die from tobacco-related diseases in India every year.
• Effectiveness of Bans:
  
  • The effectiveness of bans is not well known and depends on how widespread and stringent the implementation is.
  • According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of the Scientific Society, raising tax on tobacco products is one of the key ways of controlling tobacco consumption.
  • Caveat: While on one hand making tobacco products dearer may lead to an overall decrease in consumption of tobacco globally, on the other hand, it can lead to an increase in the sale of loose cigarettes.
• Tobacco Control in India
  
  • International Convention:
    
    • Governments adopt and implement the tobacco control provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
    • It is the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO.
    • It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005.
    • India ratified the WHO FCTC in 2004.
    • It was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic and is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health. The FCTC’s measures to combat tobacco use include:
      
      • Price and tax measures.
      • Large, graphic warnings on tobacco packages.
      • Keeping plain packaging to minimise the promotion of the products.
      • 100% smoke-free public spaces.
      • A ban on tobacco marketing.
      • Support for smokers who want to quit.
      • Prevention of tobacco industry interference.
  • Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003: Replaced the Cigarettes Act of 1975 (largely limited to statutory warnings- ‘Cigarette Smoking is Injurious to Health’ to be displayed on cigarette packs and advertisements. It did not include non-cigarettes). The 2003 Act also included cigars, bidis, cheroots, pipe tobacco, hookah, chewing tobacco, pan masala, and gutka.
  • National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), 2008:
    
    • Objective: To control tobacco consumption and minimize tobacco consumption related deaths
    • Activities: Training and capacity building; information, education, and communication (IEC) activities; tobacco control laws; reporting survey and surveillance and tobacco cessation
  • Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2020:
    
    • It was mandated that the specified health warning shall cover at least 85% of the principal display area of the package.
    • Of this, 60% shall cover pictorial health warning and 25% shall cover textual health warning.
    • This shall be positioned on the top edge of the package and in the same direction as the information on the principal display area.
  • mCessation Programme:
    
    • It is an initiative using mobile technology for tobacco cessation.
    • India launched mCessation using text messages in 2016 as part of the government’s Digital India initiative.
      
      • It uses two-way messaging between the individual seeking to quit tobacco use and programme specialists providing them dynamic support.
  • Prevention and Control of Pollution Act of 1981- Recognized smoking as an air pollutant.
  • Cable Television Networks Amendment Act of 2000- Prohibited the transmission of advertisements on tobacco and liquor in India.
  • The Government of India has issued regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 which lay down that tobacco or nicotine cannot be used as ingredients in food products.

Way Forward

• There is a need for comprehensive tobacco control policy, accessible and affordable cessation services strengthening the implementation of COTPA, alternative opportunities for people engaged in tobacco cultivator, processing and manufacturing.
• The proportion of buying loose cigarettes decreased with increased levels of education and awareness. Enhancing public awareness through campaigns, educational programs in schools, strong and prominent graphic health warnings.

Source IE