Programme and policy perspectives towards a tobacco-free generation in India: findings from a qualitative study

Objective This study explored multistakeholder perspectives on existing adolescent-specific tobacco control policies and programmes, to advance India’s transition towards a tobacco-free generation.Design Qualitative semi-structured interviews.Setting Interviews were conducted with officials involved in tobacco control at the national (India), state (Karnataka), district (Udupi) and village level. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.Participants Thirty-eight individuals representing national (n=9), state (n=9), district (n=14) and village (n=6) levels, participated.Results The study findings highlighted the need to strengthen and amend the existing Tobacco Control Law (2003) provisions, particularly in the vicinity of schools (Sections 6a and 6b). Increasing the minimum legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21 years, developing an ‘application’ for ‘compliance and monitoring indicators’ in Tobacco-Free Educational Institution guidelines were proposed. Policies to address smokeless tobacco use, stricter enforcement including regular monitoring of existing programmes, and robust evaluation of policies was underscored. Engaging adolescents to co-create interventions was advocated, along with integrating national tobacco control programmes into existing school and adolescent health programmes, using both an intersectoral and whole-societal approach to prevent tobacco use, were recommended. Finally, stakeholders mentioned that when drafting and implementing a comprehensive national tobacco control policy, there is a need to adopt a vision striving toward a tobacco-free generation.Conclusion Strengthening and developing tobacco control programmes and policies are warranted which are monitored and evaluated rigorously, and where adolescents should be involved, accordingly

Tobacco-related content on social networking sites: evidence from a youth-led campaign in India

# Background Social networking sites (SNS) have become the contemporary platform of choice for advertising, promoting, sponsoring, boosting and expanding tobacco marketing. A youth-led campaign was conducted to (i) identify and collate violations of tobacco advertisement, promotion, and sponsorship on SNS; and (ii) undertake content analysis of the collated violations. # Methods After a series of capacity-building webinars aimed at empowering youths, they were tasked with collating posts (photos and videos) that showcased the promotion and sale of tobacco products online. Additionally, the youth identified relevant hashtags used to promote tobacco. # Results The youth identified 748 posts (photos and videos) on SNS where tobacco was being promoted. Most of these posts (84.7%) promoted the 'smoking form' of tobacco. Renowned celebrities and influencers with massive followership actively endorsed tobacco products. The youth identified 148 pages that were involved in selling tobacco online. Instagram (62.7%) accounted for the majority, followed by Facebook (23.7%). The most commonly available forms of tobacco in these online stores were 'smoked forms' (73.5%). In their efforts, the youth collated 1412 hashtags related to tobacco promotion. The most commonly reported hashtags were #smoking and #hookah. The maximum numbers of tobacco posts were for #vape (296 million) and #smoke (218 million). # Conclusions There is an urgent need to revise Section 5 of "*The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act, 2003*" to broaden the coverage of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS) prohibition on all internet-based platforms including SNS to protect Indian youth