Skip to content Skip to navigation

Warning on tobacco packs

38,740 signatures of people across the country including Assam, who strongly support the implementation of new and larger health warnings on tobacco packages in India on April 1, has been submitted to Shri J. P. Nadda Hon’ble Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare on March 18. 

The signatures were collected in an online and offline petition started by Sunita Tomar, an oral cancer survivor. 

The new warnings reaffirm Indian global leadership, projecting the country into one of the first positions for the largest tobacco health warnings in the world. Countries like Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, have taken the cue from India and have dramatically increased the size of pictorial warnings on tobacco packages.“India has demonstrated global leadership with its new 85% pictorial health warnings. It is essential that these warnings appear on tobacco packages as soon as possible. A picture says a thousand words. Picture warnings are especially important for those who cannot read,” said Rob Cunningham – Senior Policy Analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society – author of the report Cigarette Package Health Warnings.  

International studies demonstrate that larger, pictorial warning on tobacco packages are effective way to INFORM users about the dangers of tobacco dependence; CONVINCE youth not to start; MOTIVATE users to quit and COUNTER tobacco industry efforts to use packages as marketing tools. Effective pictorial warning increase knowledge about risks associated with smoking and can decrease intentions to smoke among adolescents persuade smokers to quit, and keep ex-smokers from starting again. Pictorial warning have a greater impact than text-only labels and can be recognized by low-literacy audiences and children — two vulnerable population groups.

A recent MoHFW-WHO supported PHFI study, estimated that the total economic costs attributable to tobacco use from all diseases in India in the year 2011 amounted to a staggering Rs 1, 04,500 crores — 12% more than the combined state and central government expenditure on health care in the same year.

India has 12 crore tobacco users, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2009-2010, which means every ninth Indian consumes tobacco. Tobacco related diseases kills about 2500 Indians daily and over 10 lakh Indians every year. It is estimated that approximately 5500 children, some as young as 8 years old, start consuming tobacco daily.

 

Add new comment

Random Stories

Effigy of PM, CM burnt at Barpeta

20 Sep 2011 - 1:33pm | editor
All Assam Minority Students Union (AMSU), Barpeta district committee regretted the role of Chief minister Tarun Gogoi for handing over Assam’s land to Bangladesh. Barpeta district AAMSU...

Namrup NGO promises to protect nature

3 May 2018 - 8:08am | Akshaya Pranab Kalita
Namrup: Assam has no dearth of organization to uplift three environment. But all if them have nit been achieving the desired results. Some of these non governmental organizations have been doing...

BJP executive body in NC Hills council

24 Oct 2015 - 6:58am | AT News
A special on Saturday at Haflong is all set to end the on going deadlock at the North Cachar Hillls Autonomous district council on Friday. Convened by Governor PB Acharya, The session is begining at...

New junior science college opened at Tangla

28 May 2010 - 11:34am | Jayanta Kumar Das
In order to provide quality science education to economically backward students of Udalguri,who cannot afford to study in Guwahati or elsewhere in the country,a juniour science college named -...

Other Contents by Author

The Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre (IESC) at IIM Shillong recently organized a sponsored bootcamp aimed at nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth of the North East Region (NER). The five-day residential program, held on the picturesque campus of IIM Shillong, concluded successfully on May 5th. The bootcamp, attended by 55 ambitious and energetic participants from both within and outside the region, focused on equipping them with essential skills in entrepreneurship, innovation, business modeling, market dynamics, and leadership qualities. As part of its commitment to the development of the NER, IIM Shillong's IESC initiated this funded bootcamp to provide aspiring...
A Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution of India has been filed in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by advocate Arif Jwadder. The petition appeals against the Gauhati High Court's disposal of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an independent investigation into all fake encounters that took place from May 2021 onwards. The petitioner's counsel, Prashant Bhushan, filed the petition. The Assam government had admitted to 171 police encounters in its affidavit dated 29.09.2022, wherein 56 people died and 145 were injured from May till August 2022. The death toll has increased since then. Despite the material placed on record, the Gauhati High Court didn't...
Mizoram University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham have partnered to launch science, technology and innovation (STI) hubs in the Aizawl and Serchip districts of Mizoram. Funded by the Indian Department of Science...
On 12th December 2022, a devastating fire broke out suddenly at the village called Upper Sonowal of Majuli district in Assam, leaving a trail of destructions among the affected people. The crisis had pushed the affected into an extreme grim situation as they lost everything in the fire. The tragedy had affected vulnerable communities who are also the victims of recurrent floods and river erosions of the island. Following a Rapid Need Assessment (RNA) at the affected community, NEADS had activated its fire tragedy response among the affected communities of the crisis-ravaged areas. With funding from Start Fund, NEADS had undertaken the humanitarian assistance among the affected peoples,...
The Assamese community in Chennai celebrated the Rongali Bihu festival on Sunday, 16th April, 2023 with great zeal and enthusiasm. The event was organized by the Assam Association Chennai (AAC) and was held at the Blue Lagoon resort located at ECR, Chennai. The Rongali Bihu festival is an important cultural event in the state of Assam, which marks the start of New Year and agricultural season for the community. It is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm by the Assamese people, who come together to celebrate their culture and traditions. The Assamese community in Chennai, gathered at the Blue Lagoon resort to celebrate the festival, where various games were organized, including...
Guwahati. WWF-India Assam State Office organized an evening program at Dighali pukhuri park with a walkathon and a performance by WWF volunteers and Assam Earth Hour Influencer Arghadeep Baruah and his band, "Bottle Rockets India", who performed using solar lights and candles on March 25. In addition to these landmarks, the Hon’ble Governor of Assam, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, issued a written message appealing to citizens to join in observing Earth Hour. Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma also participated by working with candlelight at Janata Bhavan. The Education Department of Assam supported Earth Hour by advising schools to participate in the campaign. Historical monuments...
Earth Hour India, in collaboration with HSBC, BYCS India Foundation, EPAM, GCC, and Decathlon-Guwahati, will host a nationwide cycling event called "Pedal for the Planet" on March 25, 2023. The event aims to raise awareness about Earth Hour and promote a healthier, greener, and more sustainable lifestyle. The event will take place in 12 cities across India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, with the goal of creating the Biggest Hour for Earth. People of all ages are encouraged to participate and support the cause of Earth Hour. Dr. Bhairrvi Joshi of the BYCS India Foundation emphasized the importance of cycling as a solution to the urban challenges of physical, mental, and...
Assam-based ensemble Tunetellers has made history with the release of their latest Assamese song, "O' Mon". Composed of award-winning singer-songwriter Rupam Bhuyan, lyricist and poet Sasanka Samir, and music producer Jim Ankan Deka, Tunetellers has introduced a new concept called 'Kothare-Gannere Exondhya', which immerses audiences in poetry and music for a two-hour live musical event. "O' Mon" was recorded live outdoors using a 360° camera, making it the first of its kind in the history of Indian music. Produced by Pragyan Bezbaruah of Pocket Friendly Productions and shot by Music Malt Studios, the video was filmed on the private property of Aabeli Ghat in Tatimara village, Assam, next...
The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Rural Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop skilled manpower for the Ayush healthcare system. The agreement aims to enable rural youth to become a skilled workforce in the sector. In the first phase, the program will train 22,000 rural youths in FY2023-24, with a minimum placement guarantee of 70%. The signing ceremony was attended by Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Giriraj Singh. The program will provide rural youth with an opportunity to be trained in the National Skills Qualification Framework-aligned courses available on the National Qualification Register under the Deen Dayal Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (...
The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) Assam State 2023-2026 Silver Jubilee Committee was sworn in on Sunday at the Moni Kumar Subba Bhawan in Guwahati, with 51 members elected to the committee. The committee is led by President Amar Adhikari from Guwahati, Working President Mohan Lal Sharma from Tinsukia, and Secretary General Nanda Kirati Dewan from Golaghat. In a congratulatory speech, chairman of Gorkha Development Council (GDC), Government of Assam, Prem Tamang appreciated the work of the Parisangh nationally and activities of Assam state. The first Extended Executive Meeting resolved to take up the issue of NRC blocked biometrics. According to Nanda Kirati Dewan, Secretary General,...