Research

The Project intends to bridge the training and capacity gaps in advancing tobacco control in India and the state of Odisha to support the call by the Prime Minister of India to make the country tobacco free in line with the Government of India’s The ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ or a ‘Drugs-Free India Campaign’ flagged off on 15th August 2020 across country.

Further to reduce tobacco burden in the country the project will build synergies between different departments/ministries of the Government and orient them of their role in combating public smoking, protecting minors from tobacco use, ban on any kind of

advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, prevent tobacco industry interference, prohibit illicit trade of tobacco and enforce packaging and labeling requirements by introducing standardized packaging while sensitizing all stakeholders to enforce and implement evidence based effective tobacco control policies. This will be achieved by engaging various national and state level stakeholders.

Strengthening tobacco control laws, policies and regulations at the state and the national level to advance tobacco control and prevent tobacco industry interference in the country to achieve the goal of tobacco free India.

1. To undertake synergistic work with partners in the state of Odisha to strengthen and promote politico-administrative commitment to strengthen tobacco control laws in the state of Odisha through building capacity of stakeholders and engaging with networks and coalitions.

2. To provide technical assistance at the state and national level for strengthening tobacco control laws and supporting national and state governments in their implementation.

3. Supporting governments to adopt stronger tobacco control policies (e.g. 100% Smoke-free public places, Total TAPS Ban, Tobacco 21, Vendor licensing etc.) in the state and at the national level.

4. To monitor and prevent tobacco industry interference while promoting a WHO FCTC Article 5.3 compliant policy at the state and national level.

5. Monitoring and evaluation of tobacco control policies and undertake policy relevant research to advance tobacco control.

1. Greater politico administrative support to tobacco control efforts in Odisha and at national level towards tobacco free India objective

2. Inter-departmental coordination strengthened in Odisha and inter-ministerial deliberations on tobacco control priorities are initiated under the National Tobacco Control Cell.

3. Adoption tobacco vendor licensing by the state of Odisha and implemented by at least two city municipal corporations in the state

4. Draft policy on tobacco free India is developed and discussed by state and national stakeholders

5. Public and private offices, public places, tourist places, villages and panchayats are declared tobacco free

6. Stronger and detailed WHO FCTC Article 5.3 guideline is adopted and enforced in the state of Odisha.

7. National policy on tobacco industry interference is developed and presented for adoption by the Government of India

Project Leader

Prof. (Dr.) Rangin Pallav Tripathy (Registrar, NLUO)

Assistant Project Leader

Dr. Rishika Khare (Assistant Professor of Law, NLUO)

Project Manager

Shahid Eqbal

Project Coordinator

Dr. Subhalaxmi Bal

Contact us ptci@nluo.ac.in

The consultation session aims was to sensitize identified national and state stakeholders on the need of Preventing Tobacco Industry Interference. The online consultation further focuses on the challenges posed by tobacco industries and tackling the inference through law, policy and participation. The session acquainted all the relevant stakeholders of the urgent need to prevent tobacco industry interference.

The National online consultation brought participants, representing various departments such as dignitaries from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Human Resources Development, police academy, various commissions, Judges from high courts and law practitioners, State Nodal Officers Tobacco Control, The Union and various NGOs. The Consultation aim was to sensitize identified national and state stakeholders, including senior government officials, enforcement agencies and national experts, on preventing tobacco industry interference.

The National online consultation brought together about 45 participants, representing various departments such as dignitaries from, High Court, National Judicial Academy, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Media house representatives, police academy, Department of IP&RD, various commissions, law practitioner, State Nodal Officers Tobacco Control, The Unions and various NGOs.

The consultation sessions aims was to sensitise identified national and state stakeholders, including law enforcement agency, media houses, Judicial academy, Law faculties, Judges, Law Practitioners, State bar associations, senior government officials and national tobacco experts, on benefits and needs of Implementing Tobacco Vendor Licensing. The online consultation further focuses on devising a policy framework for vendor licensing as a tobacco control mechanism. To draw examples from the other jurisdictions and Indian states that have adopted vendor licensing mechanism to equip other states to adopt the same.The identified ways will serve as a focal point to work in tobacco control with a targeted approach.

The National online consultation brought together about 45 participants, representing various departments such as dignitaries from, National Judicial Academy, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Media house representatives, police academy, Department of IP&RD, various commissions, law practitioner, State Nodal Officers Tobacco Control, The Unions and various NGOs. We also saw participation from stalwarts like Dr. Rana J. Singh.

The consultation session aim was to sensitize identified national and state stakeholders on needs and benefits of total ban on TAPS. The online consultation further focuses on strengthening the existing policy framework and COTPA, specifically, to monitor, check and prohibit tobacco advertisements, promotions and sponsorship by identifying law and policy gap and required reform in current law and policy to enforce total ban on TAPS. The identified ways will serve as a focal point to work in tobacco control with a targeted approach.

The National online consultation brought together about 70 participants, representing various departments such as dignitaries from, National Judicial Academy, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Human Resources Development, police academy, Department of IP&RD, various commissions, law practitioner, State Nodal Officers Tobacco Control, The Unions and various NGOs. We also saw participation from stalwarts like Dr. Rana J. Singh.

The consultation sessions aims at providing an overview on the prevalence of different type of tobacco use among youth and its multidimensional impact, need and importance of increasing the minimum legal age of buying tobacco to 21 years, and role of all stakeholders in drafting the proposed amendment and develop the strategy to face challenges. The identified ways will serve as a focal point to work in tobacco control with a targeted approach.

The National online consultation brought together about 65 participants, representing various departments such as dignitaries from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Human Resources Development, police academy, various commissions, law practitioner from supreme court of India, State Nodal Officers Tobacco Control, The Unions and various NGOs. We also saw participation from stalwarts like Dr. Mira Aghi.

The Consultation aim was to sensitise identified national and state stakeholders, including senior government officials, enforcement agencies, hotels association and national experts, on implementation of 100% smoke-free public places by removing the DSA/DSR.

The National online consultation brought together about 65 participants, representing various departments such as dignitaries from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Human Resources Development, National Institute of Social Defence , New Delhi , National Institute of Criminology & Forensic Science , New Delhi , WCD Department , GOI , Narcotics control Bureau , New Delhi , Academician from NIMHANS, Bengaluru, various commissions, law practitioner from supreme court of India, The Unions and various NGOs. We also saw participation from stalwarts like Dr. Rakesh Gupta and Dr. Mira Aghi.

The Consultation aim was to receive expert’s opinion to identify law, policy and implementation gap that require reform to reduce the tobacco prevalence in the country. The consultation explored the ways in which tobacco prevalence and use can be reduced in India, through policy, education, cultural changes and other such mechanism. The identified ways will serve as a focal point to work in tobacco control with a targeted approach. The consultation theme focused on the protection of children and youth from tobacco consumption.

The event aimed to strengthen effective law enforcement for advancing tobacco control in India with stronger policy initiative.

The event aimed to highlight the need of adoption and implementation of national policy against tobacco industry interference in line with WHO FCTC Article 5.3 and enhance the awareness among stakeholders against tobacco industry interference.

The event aimed to highlight the significance of stronger policy formulation on tobacco control, discussed the best practices on compliance while sharing the challenges and lessons learned while adopting and implementing tobacco control laws in different settings. The consultation was followed by an interactive panel discussion where they shared their experiences, knowledge, and expertise on the topic.