As per the
findings of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), conducted by Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare (2010), 20.3% of females in the age group of 15
years and above consume tobacco in some form or other. The use of smokeless
forms of tobacco is more prevalent (18.4%) among females than smoking forms
(2.9%).
A number of
steps have been taken by the Government of India to discourage tobacco use both
among males and females, which include the following:
The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products
(Prohibitions of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce,
Production, Supply and Distribution) Act,” (COTPA), was enacted in 2003 to
regulate consumption, production, supply and distribution of tobacco products,
by imposing restrictions on advertisement, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco
products; prohibiting smoking in public places; prohibiting sale to and by
minors, prohibiting sale within a radius of 100 yards of educational
institutions and through mandatory depiction of specified pictorial health
warnings on all tobacco product packs.
Government of India launched the National Tobacco Control
Programme (NTCP) in the year 2007-08, with the aim to (i) create awareness
about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption, (ii) reduce the production
and supply of tobacco products, (iii) ensure effective implementation of the
provisions under “The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition
of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and
Distribution) Act, 2003” (COTPA) and (iv) help the people quit tobacco use
through Tobacco Cessation Centres.
The coverage of National Tobacco Control
Programme (NTCP) has been up-scaled from existing 42 districts of 21 states to
53 districts of 29 states in 2013-2014 under the umbrella of National Health
Mission (NHM).
