National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP): One of the major risk factors for a variety of chronic diseases such as; cancer, lung diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, is the use of tobacco. India is the 2nd largest tobacco producer and consumer.
In May 2003, the Government of India passed the National Tobacco Control Act 2003, the “Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Trade, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act 2003.
The important provisions of the act are:
- Smoking prohibition in public areas.
- Prohibition of the sale to people below the age of 18 of cigarettes and other tobacco products.
- Mandatory display of statutory warnings on cigarette packs (including pictorial warnings).
- Prohibition of advertising of cigarettes and other products, direct and indirect
- Inhibition of the role of tobacco products in educational institutes.
- Mandatory to display tar and nicotine content along with maximum allowable limits on tobacco packs.
The laws governing the prohibition of smoking in public places came into effect in 2008. In compliance with this law, the display of smoke-free signs in all public places is mandatory
To make it easier for the tobacco control law to be successfully enforced. The Government of India initiated the National Tobacco Control Programme (TCP) under the WHO-FCTC (WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2007-2008 in 42 districts of the country’s 21 states/union territories.
Objectives of National Tobacco Control Programme
- Campaigns for awareness building and behavior improvement through public awareness/mass media.
- Mainstreaming of the program component as part of the health delivery mechanism, within the context of the national rural health mission.
- Establishment of laboratories for tobacco product testing) to develop regulatory capacity as needed under COPTA 2003.
- Monitoring and assessment including, monitoring, e.g. Survey on Adult Tobacco.
- In co-operation with other nodal ministries, mainstreaming research and training on alternative crops and livelihoods.
- Health and social workers, NGOs, school teachers training.
- To achieve maximum benefits of NTCP, this programme should be integrated) with the primary health care and all the patients consulting a primary care physician should be asked about their tobacco used status. Those who desire to quit tobacco should be referred to specialized clinics.
- NTCP should be integrated with other programmes like; rural development women and child development, etc. These programmes can be used to spread the message about NTCP School workplaces, homes, and public places should be made smoke-free.
- PHC, Health care providers in India have also played a clinical role in creating an environment supportive for Tobacco Control.
List of Diseases Caused by Tobacco
- Heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
- Oral cancer.
- Throat Cancer.
- Fetal Death.
- Reduced fetal growth.
- Preterm Delivery.
- Lung Cancer.
- Asthma.
- Chronic obstructive Pulmonary Disorders.
- Tuberculosis.
- Type-II Diabetes Mellitus.
- Dementia.
- Reduced Fertility in men and women.
- Erectile Dysfunction.
- Birth Defects.
- Vision Loss.
- Weakened Immune System, etc.
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