Context:

• The seventh WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic analyses national efforts to implement the most effective measures from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) that are proven to reduce demand for tobacco.
• Report makes special reference about India’s efforts in helping smokers quit.

MPOWER

• Measures, like the “MPOWER” interventions, have been shown to save lives and reduce costs from averted healthcare expenditure.

• The MPOWER report was launched in 2007 to promote government action on six tobacco control strategies in-line with the WHO FCTC to:
• Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies.
• Protect people from tobacco smoke.
• Offer help to quit tobacco use.
• Warn people about the dangers of tobacco.
• Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
• Raise taxes on tobacco.

Indian Context

National Tobacco control programme

• The key activities undertaken under the National Tobacco Control Programme include:
• National Level Public awareness campaigns
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Research.
• Advocacy and inter-sectoral linkages
• Training and capacity building of multiple stakeholders.
• Enforcement of the Tobacco Control Act (COTPA, 2003)
• School Awareness Programmes
• Setting up and expansion of cessation services.
• Recently India made mandatory with increase in size of pictorial warning of tobacco causing cancer

Significance of graphic warning on tobacco packs

• Over half the world’s population – or 3.9 billion people living in 91 countries – benefit from large graphic health warnings, and India is among countries with the highest level of achievement, the WHO report notes.
• While there has been no India-specific evaluation, studies from several countries that introduced similar strong labels have shown that this policy has been most effective in reducing tobacco use among the youth, and also in motivating users to quit.