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Country Situation
Tobacco is one of the major causes of deaths and disease
in India,
accounting for over eight lakh deaths every year.
The variety of forms of tobacco use is unique to India. Apart from the smoked
forms that include cigarettes, bidis and cigars, a
plethora of smokeless forms of consumption exist and they account for about
35 percent of the total tobacco consumption.
Prevalence of
tobacco use
According to the National Family Health Survey-2 conducted
by International Institute of Population Sciences in 1998-99, the prevalence
rate among males for chewing tobacco was 28.3% and for smoking tobacco,
29.4%. For females, the corresponding prevalence rates were 12.4 and 2.5
percent respectively.
Based on the National Family Health Survey-2 age specific
data, it is estimated that in the thirty plus age group, smoking prevalence
among men is 41.2%. Further, 35.4% of men and 18.2% of females use chewing
tobacco in this age group.
The prevalence of tobacco use among the youth has been
surveyed by the Global
Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) supported by CDC and WHO. GYTS is a tobacco
specific survey to track the prevalence of tobacco use among 13-15 year age
group school going students. GYTS has been conducted in different states of India in the
period 2000-2004. As per this survey, 17.5% of 13-15 year old students are
using tobacco in some form. In many states alarmingly high prevalence of use
of tobacco products among the school-going youth has been reported. North
Eastern states like Nagaland(63%), Manipur (46.7%), Sikkim
(46.1%) have reported highest prevalence of tobacco use among school
students.
The prevalence of tobacco use among the Indian Dental Students has also been surveyed by the GHPS (Global Health
Personnel Survey) supported by CDC, Canadian Public Health Association
and WHO. The results of the Global Health Professional Survey done in India among
dental students reported that 9.6% currently smoke cigarettes comprising
14.9% males and 2.4% females respectively.
In the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)
supported by World Bank and WHO, tobacco surveillance has been included as
one of the integral areas.
 Setting up of the National Tobacco
Control Cell (NTCC)
As a result of collaborative efforts of Ministry of Health
and WHO, the National Tobacco Control Cell was set up in February 2001 to
provide impetus to the tobacco control efforts and to coordinate these
activities at the national level.
The National Tobacco Control Cell assists in development
of comprehensive anti-tobacco public awareness plans to provide health
education among the masses; capacity building among NGOs working in the field
of tobacco control; establishment and strengthening of tobacco cessation
centers and providing key technical inputs on research and policy issues
related to tobacco. The Cell has been recognized as an innovative approach
towards effective tobacco control, which can be replicated by other
countries.
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