India: A Manifesto on How to Control Tobacco Use

Source from:  Indian Express 11/30/2015

In a move to control tobacco use by youngsters, the Tamil Nadu People's Forum for Tobacco Control (TNPFTC) released a manifesto, putting forth points on how to address the issue.

"Two videos of young children smoking has brought to light the way the tobacco industry runs. So we decided to bring a charter in the wake of the coming elections," said S Cyril Alexander, state convener, TNPFTC. "The manifesto addresses several issues, including tactics adopted by the tobacco industry to attract children, association of politicians, tobacco industry's involvement in corporate social responsibility work and so on," he said.

In their charter, the organisation has demanded the following measures: political parties have to state clearly in their manifesto the kind of tobacco control measures they will take when they come to power. Candidates must declare that they do not, and will not, receive any funds from the tobacco industry either directly or indirectly. "Receiving funds from this industry is a violation of Section five of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 and it also puts the candidates in 'conflict of interest' situations. This needs to be tackled effectively," said Cyril.

He added that of late, tobacco users include children and the youth, who have increasingly become addicts. "They have devised tactics to attract young people, which is absolutely harmful to them and puts children's health at stake. Officials must put stop this," he added.

They also demanded that both politicians and political parties should neither own tobacco companies nor can they be their distributor or agent, as this too violates the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) .

"Today's candidates are tomorrow's policy makers. If they are associated with the tobacco industry, their decisions will favour the industry," he said. Enditem