National Consultation for regulating Smokeless tobacco was organized by the ICMR National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, Noida on 18^th and 19^th Feb, 2020 in Bihar, Patna in support of The International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease under a project “Effective implementation of tax and TAPS measures for prevention and control of smokeless tobacco in South East Asia Region”.

The meeting facilitated an exclusive discussion on exploring legal and policy provisions for SLT control at the state and National level along with examining the existing policies and laws on regulation of manufacture, sale, distribution etc. of Smokeless Tobacco products.

Shri. Mangal Pandey, Hon’ble Health Minister Bihar, Sh. Sanjay Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary (Health) & Commissioner Food Safety, Sh. Manoj Kumar, IAS, Executive Director, State Health Society, Bihar, Sh. Kaushal Kishore, IAS, Additional Secretary, Health Department Govt. of Bihar, Dr. L. Swasticharan, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, Sh. Deepak Mishra, SEEDS, Patna, Bihar and the Food Safety Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners from total 11 states i.e. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Nagaland, Sikkim, Kerala and Bihar along with the Food Safety Officers from different districts of Bihar has participated in the meeting.

Dr. Shalini Singh, Director, ICMR National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research and WHO FCTC Global Knowledge Hub on Smokeless Tobacco along with the dignitaries from ministry has released the NICPR Factsheets regarding Smokeless Tobacco Control in India as well as in Bihar.

The meeting concluded with the discussion of gaps and challenges faced by the State and a series of state wise recommendations, if implemented, could significantly reduce the burden of smokeless tobacco and improve the tobacco control policies in these high burden states of India.

The two Fact sheets has been released during the National Consultation:

Factsheet on Smokeless Tobacco Control – National Impact

India is home to more than 19.9 crores SLT users, with economic burden of diseases attributed to smokeless tobacco use among adults aged 35-69 years is 412.8 crores and more than 50% of the oral cancers in India are due to smokeless tobacco use. Smokeless tobacco remains extremely affordable in India largely because most product escape taxation, and products are available in diverse forms and multiple types of packaging. The revenue generated from SLT products is less than the economic health burden of the country. Also the lack of uniformity in packaging of SLT products has resulted in extensive advertising, weak implementation of Global Health warning. Click to View Factsheet

Factsheet on Smokeless Tobacco Control- Bihar Experience

Bihar is 13^th highest prevalence State in India (as per GATS 2), almost 1.70 crore adults in the state use SLT products. Economic burden of diseases attributed to Smokeless tobacco use among adults aged 35-69 years is 412.82 crores. Bihar became 3^rd state to ban gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine. In September 2016, Bihar in compliance with the Supreme Court of India ordered ban on sale of gutka in twin packs. Also, In October 2018, Govt. of Bihar applied ban on use of food and food additives as an ingredient in chewing tobacco products.

As an impact of the above notifications, not only the open sale of major brands of pan masala got restricted in the state but also sale of twin tobacco packs were not observed. Click to View Factsheet

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