Global health organisation Vital Strategies has commended the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) for the launch of a national tobacco control mass media campaign to warn people about the deadly harms of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS).
‘Clinical’, a 30 second public service announcement (PSA) reveals how exposure to SHS causes stroke and heart disease among non-smokers and encourages smokers to protect others by quitting smoking. It is the first national tobacco control mass media campaign to promote the quitline number, 1-800-11-2356.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), India, 2017, there has been a reduction in exposure to SHS in India since 2009-2010 (the time of the last GATS India report), but a large proportion of adults and children are still exposed to this invisible killer.
Exposure to SHS in public spaces reduced from 29 percent to 23 per cent and exposure in the home reduced from 52 percent to 39 per cent, but exposure in the workplace rose marginally from 29.9 per cent to 30.2 per cent.
Fully comprehensive smoke-free laws, with no exemptions, are more effective in protecting smokers and non-smokers.
The study has shown that media campaigns are one of the most effective means to build support for tobacco control policies and prompt people to stop smoking. It is one of the World Health Organisation’s M-P-O-W-E-R (W=Warn) strategies to reduce tobacco consumption.
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Professor and Surgeon, Tata Memorial Hospital, said, “Second hand smoke affects the heart and increases the risk of smoking related diseases in non-smokers. Effective implementation of smoke free policies in work places, public areas and other areas could be a preventive strategy to protect people from second hand smoke. Mass media campaigns such as ‘Clinical’ can prove to be very effective in conveying the harms of second hand smoking and results of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke.”
“There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke, but many people don’t know about this invisible killer,’ said Dr Nandita Murukutla, Vice President, Global Policy and Research, Vital Strategies.
“We expect the campaign will be highly effective in changing knowledge and behaviors around the health risks of second-hand smoke. It will increase support for strong enforcement of India’s smokefree laws, increase traffic to the national quitline and mCessation website at the National Health Portal, and help to discourage people from consuming tobacco in any form. Vital Strategies is pleased to partner with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in delivering this campaign,” she added.