World Health Organization (WHO) spearheads World No Tobacco Day annually on May 31st as a global campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and advocating for policies to curb its consumption. This year, its theme focuses primarily on “protecting children from tobacco industry interference”.
India grapples with a significant public health challenge; tobacco use. India is the second-largest producer and consumer of tobacco worldwide. However, its toll on lives is staggering as tobacco-related diseases claims nearly 1.35 million Indian lives annually.
The culprit isn’t just cigarettes but also other forms like gutka and khaini as these account for 70% of tobacco use in India. This further translates into an economic burden as the cost of tobacco-induced diseases amounts to billions of dollars annually. Thus draining resources as well as productivity.
Governments play a crucial role in implementing effective policy controls, strong advertising bans, and increasing tobacco taxes, which can deter young people from picking up the habit.
If there are so many effects of tobacco, one may ask why does the government not ban the product?
Well, the Indian government collects a significant amount of tax revenue from these products, amounting for roughly 2.4% of its total tax income. WHO recommends a tax rate of 75% of the retail price. Despite this, Indian government tax rates particularly on bidis is lesser than WHO recommendation. This also raises concern as it means tax rates may not effectively discourage tobacco use.
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