Addressing Tobacco Control in India: A Comprehensive Approach

As per tobacco control report by KPMG Assurance and consulting services LLP - with inputs from ET Edge, India has many smokers, around 250 million. It is the second country with the most tobacco users. Tobacco is a big problem with many effects on society, culture, and the economy. Even with rules and programs to stop smoking, many people still use tobacco. Tobacco hurts health and can cause lung problems, heart issues, and cancer. It costs a lot, too. Healthcare and work loss from tobacco sickness and death are a big problem for money. Illegal tobacco makes it worse.

India is trying hard to stop people from using tobacco. Government made rules about tobacco in 2003. They also want to make labs to test tobacco and tell people about its dangers. But these plans need to get better to work well. There are three main things that can help make sure tobacco control in the future is good:

1. Stopping People from Starting to Use Tobacco

Most people start using tobacco when they are young. We need to teach young people about the dangers of tobacco, using TV, internet, and other ways. We also need to make sure that young people can't buy tobacco.

2. Helping People to Quit Using Tobacco

There are medicines that can help people stop using tobacco. If more people know about these medicines and get help from their doctors, it can help them quit. Talking to someone about quitting can also help.

3. Making It Safer for People Who Can't Quit

For people who can't stop using tobacco, e-cigarettes can be a safer choice. They are not totally safe, but they are better than smoking. We need rules for making e-cigarettes with less bad stuff in them. This can reduce the harm they cause.

While the health risks of tobacco are well established, the solutions are nuanced owing to the complex socioeconomic factors underlying its use. Tobacco is entrenched in the social and cultural fabric of many communities. It is important to acknowledge these complexities and avoid a strictly prohibited approach.

People who are neither intractable nor unable to quit after previous attempts are considered very important for harm reduction. E cigarettes are an alternative offering with fewer toxins than combustible cigarettes. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that law enforcement is important. Manufacturers should be encouraged to produce less toxic products, as well as keep the younger generation informed and e-cigarettes should not be mistaken for total safety. Through tax credits, e-cigarettes are affordable so people can smoke them up and campaigns with science-based facts can make the public aware of relative risk compared to traditional tobacco cigarettes.

The novel nicotine-based replacements, including herbal cigarettes and non-nicotine chewing forms of indoor tobacco also deserve experimentation, only in the presence of regulatory supervision. The conduction of a nationwide survey on the willingness to use the alternative sectors for narcotics can educate the policies on the same. In addition we have to be cautious of nicotine delivery system products, through mistaken assumptions.

The structural aspects of tobacco cultivation and trade require attention. Switching to alternative crops could economically empower tobacco-dependent farmers. The growing illicit trade must also be monitored - technologies such as blockchain could help law enforcement agencies track tobacco products.

Collaboration is key to the best tobacco control solutions - government, public health experts, manufacturers, researchers and community partners must work together to find context-specific solutions. We need a NUANCED, HUMANE approach - innovative solutions using technology, understanding through research, feedback and insights, Nudging through behavioural finance, community engagement, engagement with stakeholders is done, data-driven planning, problem reduction for risk reduction, empathy in policy making, more - across departments, accountability in governance and structure, concept of equity and of justice, with a focus on individual dignity, compassionate support systems, evidence-based decision-making. Through concerted efforts guided by these principles, India can effectively control the public health burden of tobacco.

Collaborative, multi-layered strategies, including initiation, termination, and loss reduction are needed. Targets should be implemented gradually - first focusing on reducing disease burden through toxicity reduction, then emphasising cessation. Tobacco is firmly woven into the socio-economic fabric, so finding the best solution requires nuance - not just pursuing total abstinence. Indian tobacco control programs can successfully deliver on their public health objectives by adopting this balanced human-centred approach.

In summary, this blog highlights the need for a comprehensive tobacco control strategy in India that goes beyond legislation and cessation efforts. A collaborative approach focused on preventing tobacco initiation, promoting cessation, and acknowledging harm reduction is key to effectively addressing tobacco use disorders.

Read Full Report at: https://etinsights.et-edge.com/report-human-centric-approach-to-tobacco-control/