Government’s efforts to curb tobacco consumption in the country seem to be yielding results as reflected in the second countrywide Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) released on Thursday. It showed that tobacco use in the country has dipped significantly from 34.6 per cent in 2009-10 to 28.6 percent in 2016-17.
The survey was conducted by the Union Health Ministry with technical assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP).
The study showed that tobacco usage among minors aged 15-17 years has also decreased from 10 per cent in 2009-10 to 4 per cent in 2016-17. The study was conducted among people above the age of 15 years in 30 states and two Union Territories. A total of 74, 037 people were interviewed during August 2016 to February 2017.
The survey also showed that 19 per cent of men, 12.8 per cent of women and 21.4 per cent of all adults surveyed currently use tobacco products including smoking and smokeless tobacco. Khaini and bidi were the most commonly used tobacco products.
The prevalence of tobacco use among minors aged 15-17 & adolescents aged 18-24 has a relative reduction of 54 per cent and 28 per cent respectively. There is an increase of one year in the mean age at initiation of tobacco use from 17.9 years in GATS 1 to 18.9 years in GATS 2.
“The results are extremely encouraging and we should go forward in the direction (of tobacco control),” said JP Nadda, Union Health Minister who has been conferred the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award for accelerating India’s tobacco control initiatives.
Jagdish Kaur, Regional Adviser (Tobacco Free Initiative) at WHO, SEARO) said that over the years, the government has introduced various laws and measures to deter people from smoking. This is reflected in the survey too.
Some of the initiatives are increasing the size of warnings on tobacco products to 85 per cent of the packet size from the previous 40 per cent, and the implementation of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.