Fighting Tobacco

Did you know?

More than 5 million children in India are addicted to gutkha, a smokeless tobacco product that is a key driver behind the country's soaring oral cancer rates. While a few states have banned this product, clever tobacco companies have found ways around the gutkha ban and are still providing this deadly product to children throughout India. The India Cancer Initiative addresses the scourge of gutkha, bidis (small, hand-rolled cigarettes in leaf wrappers), and the growing problem of cigarette use in India through expert trainings, grants, and technical assistance on how to pass, implement, and enforce government laws that seek to reduce tobacco use.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has worked closely with Indian tobacco control leaders since 2001. Recently, the ACS hosted a five-day smoke-free campaign training in conjunction with the ACSU in New Delhi. Participant organization representatives developed campaign strategies to improve and enforce smoke-free legislation in their communities.

As part of the training, attendees developed media messages on smoke-free issues that they then used during interviews with Indian journalists in conjunction with the journalist "boot camp" event.

Union Minister of Health Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss addressed ACS trainees and journalists as part of a joint press conference (in conjunction with a concurrent journalist "boot camp" event). Dr. Ramadoss reiterated the Ministry's commitment to tobacco control, particularly enforcing a 100% smoke-free policy.

Kerala Protects the Public from Secondhand Smoke

In 2003, Kerala Voluntary Health Services (KVHS), an association of 147 charitable hospitals and other health delivery institutions in Kerala state, developed a strategy to protect the public from secondhand smoke. An effective plan would require resources and a multi-pronged approach to engage the public, civil society, the health care community, the local government and law enforcement officials.

With a tobacco advocacy grant from the American Cancer Society, and after participating in the American Cancer Society University held in New Delhi in 2007, KVHS received funding and resources to initiate two successful projects to enhance community awareness about the legality and dangers of secondhand smoke in public places.

The first plan involved an important tool to effect social change in India – the development and training of “Jagaratha Samithi” (social groups). KVHS formed 7 5 Jagaratha Samithies with 15 to 20 members each in the two municipalities Pala and Kottayam to launch grassroots efforts to reduce the public’s exposure to secondhand smoke. These social groups were given tobacco control literacy information and advocacy training focused on generating public awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke. They also received training on the secondhand smoke laws in the community and the local police department’s partnership with public and private health care institutions to enforce them.

KVHS also created advocacy campaigns with district and state level leaders, and served as a liaison to network with other NGOs and to develop materials about smoke-free activities in the region. KVHS conducted 15 public awareness campaigns in Kottayam that included exhibitions, audio and visual programs and public classes. KVHS also organized six training programs for 150 NGO leaders in Kottayam and Pala municipality. The training components include tobacco and health hazards, the importance of smoke-free public places, and the Indian Tobacco Act passed in 2003.

At the same time KVHS developed strategies to educate the local police personnel about the Indian Tobacco Act passed in 2003 that protects the public from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Before the trainings, the KVHS conducted surveys and found that the majority of the police officers were not aware of the 2003 Indian Tobacco Act. The trainings started with the top ranking police officers in Kerala state, with topics including health hazards of tobacco, ill effects of environmental tobacco smoke and the specifics of the smoke-free provisions of the Indian Tobacco Act. The organizers supplied a copy of the Indian Tobacco Act to police stations throughout Kerala state.

Support of Tobacco Control Activities

Since January 2002, the India Cancer Initiative has supported tobacco control programs. In recent years, our trainings and seed grants have focused specifically on helping to improve and enforce the smoke-free ban in India. The following activities have been held:

April 2007, a five-day training for top cancer and tobacco control leaders on implementing the smoke-free ban. Awarded grants to help fund projects on smoke-free.

In November 2006, the India Cancer Initiative sponsored HRIDAY-SHAN’s Global Youth Meet event and provided training and financial assistance for its tobacco control advocacy component.

In August 2006, the India Cancer Initiative and Advocacy Forum for Tobacco Control (AFTC) awarded five $5,000 grants to help participating organizations implement and/or enforce the smoke-free ban.

July 2006, the India Cancer Initiative hosted a one-day training for India and China ACS partners on smoke-free issues and implementation. Participants reviewed the latest science on smoke-free interventions and developed strategic plans. This training preceded the 2006 World Conference on Tobacco OR Health hosted by ACS in Washington DC.

In January 2006, the India Cancer Initiative and AFTC co-hosted a workshop on smoke-free implementation preceding the National Tobacco Control Conference in Mumbai.

In 2002, with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the India Cancer Initiative launched a Fellows program to bring together tobacco control leaders to push for comprehensive national tobacco control legislation in Parliament. Since 2002, the India Cancer Initiative has worked together with the AFTC to help pass the national tobacco control legislation. Once passed, ACS has worked to train health leaders to implement and enforce the law. Co-hosted trainings have been held in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 (ACSU Chennai), 2006, and 2007 (ACSU Delhi).