Banning smokeless tobacco products : Health policy or...?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 21, 2013 -

Ban on smokeless tobacco.

As policies go, the State Government has certainly managed to send out the signal that it is concerned about the health and well being of the citizens. A smart policy statement.

But again as policies go, its impact will be felt or not felt on how sincere the Government is in enforcing the ban on smokeless tobacco.

And as things stand today, Government restrictions have nearly always meant providing the needed room to the black marketers to line their pockets.

Prohibition which was enforced at the turn of the 90s in the last century should be enough testimony.

Manipur has certainly made it to the list of the infamy by gaining a spot in the top five States in terms of tobacco consumption and it is only right that the Government should feel concerned.

The interesting question is whether a ban on the sale and consumption of tobacco products is the answer or not. Another interesting point is the choice of the people.

To be sure there can be no foolproof approach, but the uneasy feeling that the Government may just have opted for a populist measure, aimed at getting the nod of approval from some section of the people cannot be written off that easily.

Imphal East district has already notified the ban on smokeless tobacco. Has the ban really been implemented in letter and spirit ?

The only visible impact that the ban has evoked is the sudden hike in the prices of all tobacco products, not only in Imphal East but in Imphal.

Herein lies the question of who really is milking the situation. Better health for the citizens or creating room for smugglers and hoarders to fatten their purse ?

The answer may lie somewhere in between but the question is worth examining. A ban on harmful products is always welcome and should be lauded. However such a ban should have certain riders.

Has the State Government thought it necessary to launch a mass awareness drive on the harmful effects of tobacco consumption ? Has the Government used the mass media to convey its message against tobacco consumption ?

Ultimately it is the choice that people make that will decide whether the ban has worked or not. But in making that choice, the Government certainly has something to do to sway public opinion or influence individual choices.

So far there is nothing much to suggest that the Government has looked at tobacco consumption from this perspective and herein lies the slip between the decision to ban smokeless tobacco and its availability at inflated prices.

It is a given that the Government cannot be expected to follow the lines of the corporate houses and go overboard to influence the choices and priorities of the people.

But the need to convey the message that it is serious about the health of its citizens cannot be wished away that easily.

And a blanket ban on smokeless tobacco products without any follow up action will certainly fall short of conveying the message that it is indeed serious.

It is early days yet, but it would certainly be interesting if a Government agency or any other institution is entrusted with the task of conducting a survey on the opinion of the people as well as on the question of whether the ban has evoked any positive response from the people as a whole.

Five or ten years down the line, will Manipur be able to break free from the select list of five States with the highest score of tobacco consumption or will it be the same story ?

The answer to this question will reflect on the effectiveness of the recent ban on smokeless tobacco.

As things stand, it should not be surprising if the latest ban trudge the same line as the prohibition which is in force currently.