Assessment of tobacco control policy in India: An evaluation using the World Health Organization MPOWER framework

Abstract

Background: Tobacco consumption is considered to be one of the most avertable causes of premature mortality and morbidity. In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) successfully negotiated the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to work toward reducing tobacco consumption globally. Being a signatory, India has implemented several programs to control tobacco consumption. Objectives: The objective of this study is to understand the efficacy of tobacco control policies in India between 2013 and 2019 based on the WHO MPOWER measures. Materials and Methods: Secondary data from WHO's reports on the global tobacco epidemic program for the years 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019 is used. Evaluation of tobacco control policies is done using the MPOWER measures proposed by the WHO in 2008, and a checklist of indicators and scoring system which is widely used in literature. Results: Of the total score of 37, scores for 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019 are 24, 27, 28, and 29, respectively. The average score for seven years is 27. Conclusions: Tobacco control policies in India have shown an overall improvement. Achievements have been made even though several implementations related challenges requiring urgent attention persist.

Smokeless tobacco quitting during COVID-19: A mixed-methods pilot study among participants screened for a cessation trial in India

“…Increased pricing of tobacco products and the decreased availability were observed to be important factors in increasing motivation to quit tobacco use in line with the WHO-MPOWER framework. 30 Hence, we suggest an increase in regulation of point-of-sales of tobacco products and increase in pricing.…”

Adolescent Tobacco Use Estimates From The Global Youth Tobacco Survey, India: Tobacco a risk factor for future spread of COVID 19

“…The tobacco cessation services can include information about the COVID-19 and tobacco as a risk factor and the negatives outcomes due to it can be elaborated in the behavioural counselling. [6] The most effective tobacco control measure is the anti-tobacco mass media campaigns [24] with wide coverage in India. The adolescents reported in the GYTS demonstrated the increased viewing of such campaigns.…”

MPOWER Measures and Its Effect on Tobacco Control: A Cross-sectional Comparison of Global Adult Tobacco Surveys, India

“…18 The progressive implementation of health warnings on tobacco products is witnessed in India. 12 India currently has PHWs on cigarette packages that are in full compliance with MPOWER recommendations and are also being reported among high-scoring nations for the W-measures. 25 A study of PHWs on SLT products, representing almost 40% of the Indian population, political relevance, geographical diversity, and the E281 prevalence of SLT use, reported more than 50% of the SLT packs had blurred pack warnings and 10% of pack warnings appeared with heavy tint, faded color, and stretching.…”

“…9,10 Furthermore, recent studies that evaluated the implementation of the MPOWER package (2008-2015 and 2020) from the SEAR reported that India scored an average of 26 to 30. 11,12 India is the second largest consumer and third largest producer of tobacco in the world. 12 Consequently, the results of TC in India are of global significance in terms of its impact on TC, total mortality, and disease burden.…”

“…11,12 India is the second largest consumer and third largest producer of tobacco in the world. 12 Consequently, the results of TC in India are of global significance in terms of its impact on TC, total mortality, and disease burden. 13 With the best of our search, we identified that one study was conducted on similar lines using the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-1 data of 14 high-burden low-and middleincome countries (LMICs) including India to track the progress of MPOWER measures.…”