Menace of surrogate advertising of Gutka-tobacco brand advertisement and resultant rampant selling bypassing Gutka ban in State of U.P
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U.P. Health Services, India
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 1):A199
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ABSTRACT
Background and challenges to implementation:
Till 2012 Gutka was selling as different brands like Dabang, Sudh
Plus, Shikhar, Kamala Pasand and many more.On 1st April 2012 U.P.
govt. FDA department banned Gutka, after that manufacturers came out twin packs
of the same brands mentioned above, one having Pan Masala and other one tobacco-chotu thus circumventing the Legislation. In the absence of vendor licensing and also
makeshift type of Pan masala and chewable tobacco sellers, it is very difficult
to stop selling of twin pack at same outlet, which consumers use either mixing
both or separately.
Intervention or response:
Crackdown against surrogate advertisement
at prominent traffic intersections, large shopping arcades, in the vicinity of
educational establishments and around Govt. Offices/health facilities was done
by Anti tobacco committee constituted in
each 75 district with the help of Flying
squad comprising departments of Health, FDA ,Education, Excise, Labour,
Police. Advertisement Materials removed by enforcement squad. Also surrogate
selling by retailers were targeted specially around Educational institutions ,Health
facilities and Govt. Offices.
Results and lessons learnt:
Resulted in marked decrease in availability
of twin sachet of pan masala along with tobacco sachet. Advertisement and
hoarding removed from the prominent places.It is inferred, since Pan masala is
also a health hazard and a menace to cleanliness also an environmental hazard, need
of hour Effective legislation required for
ban on availability of pan masala containing many ingredients including arecanut etc.
Conclusions and key recommendations:
There should be strict legislation for
surrogate advertising and selling of twin sachet.
Section-4 of COTPA is
ineffective in controlling chew able tobacco menace, requires amendment likewise.
Some effective legislation required to crackdown on surrogate advertising and resultant
selling of twin sachets. It is perceived that some vendor licencing mechanism promulgated and enacted for retailers would be helpful in identification and regulation of indiscriminate and ambulatory retailers.
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Tobacco Industry and Surrogate Advertising in South East Asia Region: Moves and Countermoves
Gayatri Bhatia, Siddharth Sarkar
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine