The Indian government, in a proactive move to combat the alarming rise in tobacco consumption, has decided to establish Tobacco Cessation Centers in medical institutions across the nation. The initiative, aimed at promoting public health and combating the adverse effects of tobacco use, was announced in a circular issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on July 12th. The circular directed all hospitals attached to medical colleges to establish dedicated “Tobacco Cessation Centres,” emphasizing the integration of specialized services for tobacco cessation into the existing healthcare infrastructure.
To ensure proper implementation, the NMC has recommended setting up special clinics within these centers, to be run by the Department of Psychiatry or other relevant departments. The NMC has further encouraged the establishment of these centers in both rural and urban health centers, underscoring the importance of reaching all segments of the population. The circular also highlighted that these centers will function as Drug De-addiction Centres, addressing a broader range of substance abuse issues.
This move comes in light of the concerning statistics revealed in the recent India Tobacco Control report, published by the Union Health Ministry. The report highlighted a more than twofold increase in smoking rates among teenage girls, despite a general decline in tobacco use nationwide. The report also raised concerns about the increasing smoking rates among teenagers while simultaneously observing a decline in smoking rates among older women.
This initiative aligns with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) first-ever guidelines for tobacco reduction, released recently. The guidelines advocate for a multi-pronged approach that includes behavioral support from healthcare providers, digital tools, and medications. These recommendations are aimed at over 750 million tobacco users globally, encompassing various tobacco products such as cigarettes, waterpipes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, roll-your-own tobacco, and heated tobacco products (HTPs).
The need for such intervention is further emphasized by the findings of India’s Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2019. The survey revealed that 8.4% of school-going children between the ages of 13-15 years were tobacco users. Disturbingly, the survey also indicated that 11.4% of children begin smoking cigarettes, 17.2% start smoking bidi, and 24% start using smokeless tobacco products such as gutkha, khaini, and zarda before their seventh birthday. The establishment of these centers signifies a concerted effort to address the growing public health challenge posed by tobacco consumption and aims to provide individuals with the necessary support and resources to break free from the clutches of addiction.
