“Effective implementation of measures for control of Smokeless Tobacco (SLT) use in India” organized on 18 th – 19 th Feb. 2020 at Patna, Bihar.

NationalConsultation on “Effective implementation of measures for control of SmokelessTobacco (SLT) use in India” organized on 18th– 19th Feb.2020 at Patna, Bihar.

NationalConsultation for regulating Smokeless tobacco was organized by the ICMRNational Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, Noida on 18thand 19th Feb, 2020 in Bihar, Patna in support of The InternationalUnion against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease under a project “Effectiveimplementation of tax and TAPS measures for prevention and control of smokelesstobacco in South East Asia Region”.

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

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

Dr. Shalini Singh, Director,ICMR National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research and WHO FCTC GlobalKnowledge Hub on Smokeless Tobacco along with the dignitaries from ministry hasreleased the NICPR Factsheets regarding Smokeless Tobacco Control in India aswell 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:

Factsheeton Smokeless Tobacco Control – National Impact

India is home to more than19.9 crores SLT users, with economic burden of diseases attributed to smokelesstobacco use among adults aged 35-69 years is 412.8 crores and more than 50% ofthe oral cancers in India are due to smokeless tobacco use. Smokeless tobaccoremains extremely affordable in India largely because most product escapetaxation, and products are available in diverse forms and multiple types ofpackaging. The revenue generated from SLT products is less than the economichealth burden of the country. Also the lack of uniformity in packaging of SLTproducts has resulted in extensive advertising, weak implementation of GlobalHealth warning. Click to View Factsheet

Factsheeton Smokeless Tobacco Control- Bihar Experience

Bihar is 13th highestprevalence State in India (as per GATS 2), almost 1.70 crore adults in thestate use SLT products. Economic burden of diseases attributed to Smokeless tobaccouse among adults aged 35-69 years is 412.82 crores. Bihar became 3rdstate to ban gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine. In September2016, Bihar in compliance with the Supreme Court of India ordered ban on saleof gutka in twin packs. Also, In October 2018, Govt. of Bihar applied ban onuse of food and food additives as an ingredient in chewing tobacco products.

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

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