The recent news that Bengaluru is seeing a drop in public smoking is indeed a welcome development, a small victory in the larger battle for public health. It’s a sign that awareness campaigns and regulations are having some impact, pushing back against a habit that continues to extract a heavy toll globally. However, as the reports also suggest, significant challenges remain.
Globally, the picture is still sobering. The World Health Organization's latest report indicates that "1 in 5 adults still addicted to tobacco" WHO tobacco trends report: 1 in 5 adults still addicted to tobacco. Meanwhile, industry players like British American Tobacco speak of "Building a Smokeless World" and promoting "Tobacco Harm Reduction" through smokeless products British American Tobacco. These diverse approaches highlight the complexity of the issue, encompassing public health, economic realities, and corporate strategies.
Reflecting on this, I find myself drawn back to the discussions I initiated years ago. Back in 2013, in my blog "Going Up in Smoke?" Going Up in Smoke?, I posed a critical question: how do we save millions of lives from tobacco-related deaths without jeopardizing the livelihoods of those dependent on the industry? I predicted that incremental measures, like rising taxes or warning images, while important, would not be enough on their own. I argued for a comprehensive, long-term roadmap—a 20-year plan to systematically phase out the tobacco industry by 2033 or 2036.
My proposals then were quite specific: a recruitment freeze, no replacement for retiring employees, incentives for industries to redeploy capital and manpower into alternate sectors, generous tax breaks for winding down operations, and even subsidies for Voluntary Retirement Schemes. In 2017, I expanded on this, suggesting that tobacco-growing farmers could be encouraged to cultivate "herbs that heal" rather than "tobacco that kills," leveraging India's rich traditional knowledge and climate for medicinal plants and spices How about herbs that heal?. I even envisioned an "International Alliance for Freedom from Tobacco" in 2018, akin to the International Solar Alliance FDI in Tobacco Industry.
Seeing how things are unfolding today, it’s striking how relevant those earlier insights still are. The challenge isn't just to curb public smoking or replace one form of nicotine delivery with another, but to address the root of the problem with a bold, forward-looking vision. A piecemeal approach might show some progress, as in Bengaluru, but it leaves the fundamental structures and dependencies intact, perpetuating the health crisis.
It is time to revisit those earlier ideas with renewed urgency. We need policies that are proactive, not merely reactionary. This means a decisive plan that integrates public health goals with economic transition, ensuring that no segment of society is left behind as we move towards a healthier, tobacco-free future. The drop in public smoking in Bengaluru is a testament to what focus can achieve; imagine what a truly comprehensive, long-term national—and indeed, international—strategy could accomplish.
Regards, Hemen Parekh
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