Up goes the smoking ban

NEW DELHI: The railways have banished them from the platforms and 'No Smoking' boards are seen in government offices. As world observes May 31 as 'No Tobacco Day' there is little sign that Indians are willing to heed the warning.

"I would say that there is apparently some increase in smoking levels. I don't think bringing in legislation banning smoking has resulted in decrease in smoking level but strict enforcements of such bans are always welcome," says Dr. SK Jindal Professor and Head, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.

Based on a government order, the tobacco companies will soon introduce 'skull and cross bones' and other pictorial warnings on their packs. There is a ban on smoking in public and a recent court order in Delhi has also made it illegal to smoke while driving.

A visit to any cigarette stall in Delhi invites you with a banner prominently displaying that it is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors or those below the age of 18 but yet in spite all these, smoking has only become more prominent.

Even though, rules have been framed to curb the use of tobacco, market trends reveal a different picture. In India, the last one year has seen more than four new cigarette brands entering the Indian market along with the dominant players who have introduced new swanky cigarette packs to attract customers along with new flavours.

"The new brands are doing reasonably well. It will take some time for it to make great sales. The older ones continue to do well," says Tapan Kumar, running a cigarette stall in Connaught Place, Delhi.

He also truthfully adds that he sells tobacco products to everyone who comes to him irrespective of age. "Its difficult to ask for one's age everytime you interact with a customer," he says.

However, even as World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked for a complete ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces and public places thereby making them 100% smoke-free, experts suggest ban alone would not help.

WHO's theme for this year's World NO Tobacco Day (May 31) is 'Smoke Free Environments'. WHO is asking for a complete ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces and public places thereby making them 100% smoke-free. It states that second-hand smoke causes cancer, acute and chronic heart disease. It has also been linked linked to bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma. In children, it is linked to lower respiratory infections, asthma, middle-ear infections and sudden infant death syndrome.

According to a study conducted by Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 2005,  bidi was the most common form of smoking, more so in the rural areas.

The mean number of cigarettes/bidis smoked per day was 14 and the mean age of starting  smoking was 20.5 years. Increasing age, low socio-economic status and rural residence were important factors associated with smoking. Vigorous anti-tobacco measures under the tobacco control programmes yielded only a quit-rate of 10 per cent.

"I now go to various schools on their invitation to give presentation on harmful effects of smoking. I can see that smoking age is going down and even school authorities have realised this," says Dr PK Dal, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

Experts argue that complete banning and imposing fines is not the only solution. "Smoking has more to do with Psychology than anything else and hence banning or imposing fines won't help much. Its all in the mind," says Aruna Broota, Psychologist based in the capital.

She further adds, "A person smokes to gain diversion from something and he thinks he is getting a good feeling. He also thinks that he is very hep and is also getting a kick out of smoking. Some smoke because they think through this they are becoming powerful and hence defiles his close ones who ask him not to smoke. A smoker needs Psychotherapy."

In India, tobacco-related cancers account for half of all cancers among men and one fourth of all cancers among women in India, according to Cancer Patients Aids Asscociation (CPAA).

As per the WHO country profiles, CPAA has mentioned that tobacco usage is a major cause of death and illness all over the world with India being no exception.

The latest study conducted by WHO ahead of the World NO Tobacco Day, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death globally, causing more than five million deaths a year. It further adds, tobacco use continues to expand most rapidly in the developing world, where currently half of tobacco related deaths occur. By 2030, if current trends continue, 8 out of every 10 tobacco-related deaths will be in the developing world.

"The complete smoking ban is not at all encouraging. I agree that one should not smoke when non-smokers and children are around but one cannot impose rules to prevent me from smoking at all. It would be against my freedom of choice," laments a young executive from the banking sector.

"People should be made aware of harmful effects of smoking. We should not forget that we are world leader when it comes to highest number of mouth cancer. People are not aware that smoking causes many other ailments other than just cancer," says Dr Dal.

He further adds, "Banning is just not possible because of the huge revenue that the government gets through taxes. Moreover, then we will have have to ban more products other than just tobacco. The main way out is to increase awareness and tax the tobacco companies heavily. Higher prices will become a deterrent for many."