In a leg up to those looking to quit smoking, tobacco packets in India will contain a toll-free helpline number, along with pictures and messages warning of the dangers of smoking. The helpline number, which will be printed on the packet, is 1800-11-2356.
As reported by Hindustan Times (HT), the new packs will be rolled out by 1 September and that 85 percent of the packet will be covered with a combination of the helpline number, and messages such as “Tobacco Causes Cancer” and “Tobacco Causes Painful Death”.
The Union ministry of health and family welfare had first detailed this in a notification on 3 April
The government’s decision to add the helpline number to the packet, comes in response to a Global Adult Tobacco Survey report of 2017, which shows that about 62 percent of cigarette smokers, 54 percent of bidi smokers and 46 percent of smokeless tobacco users had wanted to quit smoking due to the pictorial warning labels that were printed on the packets.
Dr Pawan Singhal, of the Voice of Tobacco Victims, an anti-tobacco advocacy group, told Hindustan Times: “Printing of the quit helpline number on the packets, was a novel idea, which will motivate smokers to seek help for quitting tobacco”.
Many tobacco users want to quit, but are not aware about where and how to seek help. For such people, the quit helpline number will be very useful.Dr Pawan Singhal told HT
According to an ANI report, an official statement regarding the centre’s decision added that the printing of the helpline number would also lead to an “increase in demand for tobacco cessation.” It also mentioned that the notification is being made available in all regional languages.
The report mentions that the Ministry stated that the existing warnings against tobacco will end on 31 August, following which the new order will be set up the next day.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times and ANI)
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