World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year on 31 May by the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners.

Central theme of WNTD 2021:

• The theme of World No Tobacco Day 2021 is 'Commit to Quit'.
• WHO has honored Indian Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan with the 'Director General's Special Award' for his efforts to control tobacco consumption in India.
• His leadership played an important role in the 2019 national legislation to ban e-cigarettes and tobacco products.

Socio-Economic Impact of 'Tobacco':

• In India, more than 13 lakh people die every year due to tobacco use, that is, 3500 deaths occur every day.
• Apart from the deaths and diseases it causes, tobacco also affects the economic development of the country.
• Smokers face a 40-50% higher risk of death from a serious illness like COVID-19.
• The WHO study (published in August 2020) was published titled "Economic Cost of Diseases and Deaths from Tobacco Use in India".
• It has been estimated that the economic burden of diseases and deaths due to tobacco use in India is up to about 1% of GDP (Rs 1.77 lakh crore).

Measures taken towards Tobacco Control in India:

• India has adopted tobacco control provisions under the 'WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control' (WHO FCTC).
• Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, (COTPA) 2003
• It replaced the Cigarette Act of 1975 (the Act was limited to the statutory warnings displayed on cigarette packs and advertisements – 'Cigarette smoking is injurious to health'. It did not include non-cigarette products). .)
• Cigars, bidis, chroot, pipe tobacco, hookah, chewing tobacco, pan masala and gutkha were also included in the 2003 Act.
• Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019: It prohibits the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of e-cigarettes.
• National Tobacco Quitline Service (NTQLS): The National Tobacco Quitline Service aims to provide telephone based information, advice and support for quitting tobacco and this helpline has the potential to reach a large number of tobacco users.
• mCessation Programme: It is a mobile technology based initiative to quit tobacco.
• India launched mCessation using text messages in the year 2016 as part of the Government's Digital India initiative.

Decline in Tobacco Consumption:

• The prevalence of tobacco use declined from 34.6 per cent in 2009-10 to 28.6 per cent in 2016-17.
• Under the National Health Policy 2017, India has set an ambitious target of reducing tobacco use by 30 percent by the year 2025.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

• The tobacco control provisions of the 'WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control' (WHO FCTC) have been adopted and implemented by the governments of various countries.
• It is the first international treaty launched under the auspices of the World Health Organization.
• It was adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHO's apex decision-making body) on 21 May 2003 and came into force on 27 February 2005.
• It was developed as a response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic and is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest level of health.

The FCTC's measures to Curb Tobacco use Include:

1. Price and tax measures.
2. Large graphic warnings on tobacco packages.
3. 100% smoke free public place.
4. Ban on marketing of tobacco.
5. Supporting those who quit tobacco.
6. Preventing tobacco industry interference.