Health ministry to ask BCCI to stop showing tobacco ads during cricket matches

New Delhi: The Union health ministry is planning to ask the BCCI to stop dislaying hoardings with smokeless tobacco advertisements, especially surrogate ads by gutka manufacturers endorsed by Bollywood celebrities and former cricketers, in stadiums.

In the latest surrogate ads, these public figures were shown promoting ‘elaichi’ mouth fresheners manufactured by smokeless tobacco product makers.

A study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Vital Strategies, a global health organization, published in the British Medical Journal in May stated that as much as 41.3% of all surrogate ads of smokeless tobacco (SLT) brands in 2023 were displayed during the last 17 matches of the cricket world cup.

The union health ministry is planning to ask the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to stop showing smokeless tobacco advertisements, especially surrogate ads for ‘gutka’ endorsed by Bollywood celebrities in cricket grounds.

Several cricket grounds hosting popular tournaments such as IPL display advertisements for smokeless tobacco products, including Gutka – a mixture of pan masala and chewing tobaccco.

Back in 2016-17, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), conducted by the World Health Organization and the health ministry, said tobacco consumption in its various forms is responsible for nearly 1.35 million every year.

Block on tobacco surrogates

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), under the aegis of the health ministry will ask the cricket body to stop broadcasting surrogate advertisements pormoting tobacco.

“Cricket matches widely popular among young population. There have been multiple instances wherein surrogate smokeless tobacco ads are being displayed during cricket matches and celebrity endorsement happening. This tends to indirectly attract the youths. The health ministry’s DGHS may communicate to the BCCI urging them to stop showing tobacco related ads in any form,” said an official aware of the matter requesting anonymity.

India has taken a comprehensive approach to tackle the use of smokeless tobacco products, but more needs to be done, the official said adding that tobacco advertisement should be implemented strictly.

Notably, tobacco manufacturing companies advertise gutka as ‘pan masala’ to escape from the ban on advertising tobacco products. Surrogate advertisements use these pan masala ads to promote gutka products with similar names and packaging.

Prohibition on direct, indirect advertising

Section 5 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and the Cable Television Network Rules, 1995 clearly prohibit the display of any direct and indirect advertising of tobacco products in film and television. Since September 1, 2023, the prohibition has also been extended to cover OTT (over-the-top) platforms and has become the first country to do so.

“These advertisements are actually well-known tobacco/ gutka brands advertisements and to circumvent laws, they are being done in the name of Pan masala, Elaichi and other eatables. During my tenure as Delhi State Tobacco Control head, I had issued a lot of show cause notices to Bollywood and Hollywood stars and cricket stars when the Pan Masala advertisements were in rampant and were effectively stopped in several cases and now they mostly campaign tobaccos in the name of flavored Elachi,” Dr S K Arora, Senior Chest Specialist and former Tobacco Control Cell head at the Delhi government.

He said Bollywood stars seem to forget that they are role models for the Indian youth.

“We have enough laws under COTPA, Food Safety Standards Authority of India and others to punish them but every time they get away from punishments because of their stature and lack of rigorous implementation of these laws.”

Queries sent to the health ministry and BCCI spokesperson remain unanswered till press time.