Price tobacco products higher: experts

In India, though, tobacco usage varies from khaini or even as wads stored in the mouth between the teeth and lip. Thus the government is forced to wage a multi-pronged war against this menace, which dilutes its efficacy.

“If the government increases excise duty on cigarettes to the extent that it becomes unaffordable to the common man, he can very well go and buy beedis,” says Dr S S Nayar from Indore. The role of advertising in the phenomenal spread of tobacco products has caused it to be banned in many western nations, said Dr Randall Morton from New Zealand “Even silent advertisements at stalls is frowned upon.” The space provided for printing warnings on packs is comparatively higher than that in developing countries.

“In some European nations, tobacco companies are forced to set aside nearly 40 per cent of space on a pack or a boarding for the message, while in India it is less than 2.5 per cent,” said Dr Sharad Vaidya, an anti-tobacco activist from Goa. Dr Surendra Shashtri, professor and head of department of preventive oncology said, “We will demand that gutkha be sold in bigger packets costing over Rs 40 so that students will not buy it,” he said.