The Union South-East Asia Office (USEA) is collaborating with the Indian journal Current Science to build awareness of India’s tobacco epidemic among the scientific and professional community. The 25 May edition of the journal contains 7 articles by leading experts examining the issues.

India’s tobacco epidemic highlighted by World No Tobacco Day issue of Current Science
Articles aim to build awareness in scientific community

New Delhi, India -- With 250 million tobacco users, India faces a major challenge to both pass and enforce tobacco control measures. Although the need is great -- tobacco-related diseases kill some 800,000 each year – tobacco use is a well-entrenched habit in Indian society. From bidis and gutka to smokeless tobacco and cigarettes, more than 700 million kilos of tobacco are produced in India each year.
In recognition of World No Tobacco Day on 31 May, the Indian journal Current Science and The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) have collaborated on a special issue dedicated to building awareness of this problem and enlisting support for tobacco control among India’s scientific and professional community.
The 25 May issue of Current Science features a special section examining India’s tobacco epidemic. The seven articles by leading experts from India and elsewhere look at tobacco control from India’s perspective, the challenges created by the tobacco products marketed there and recent efforts to build a stronger, more effective tobacco control movement. The special issue was planned jointly by the editors of Current Science and The Union South-East Asia Office in New Delhi.
“Ending the epidemic of disease and death caused by tobacco in India will require the collaboration of every sector of society,” says Dr Sinead Jones, Director of The Union’s Tobacco Control Department. “By collaborating with Current Science, we are reaching their 30,000 readers, who are at the heart of India’s scientific and professional community.”
“In past years The Union has helped to sponsor billboards and carried out other kinds of no-smoking campaigns for World No Tobacco Day,” says Dr Nils E Billo, Executive Director of The Union. “This year we are trying to influence people who are thinkers and leaders, decision makers and policy setters, because their support is desperately needed.”
An e-mail campaign to tobacco control advocates, private and public medical practitioners, state and central health ministers and government officials, as well as academics, will direct them to the free online edition of Current Science at http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/
A special event to mark World No Tobacco Day and the publication of the journal will be held in Bangalore on Thursday, 28 May, at 6:00 pm at Chancery Hotel, Lavelle Road. It will include a 90-minute panel with speakers including Dr PC Gupta from HEALIS and Dr Nalini Krishnan from REACH. Leading corporate houses, public health experts, prominent doctors and civil society will be participating in the event.

The Union/ World No-Tobacco Day / 2
The Union is a partner in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Through the Union South-East Asia Office in New Delhi, it has been providing intensive support to India’s tobacco control efforts through the Bloomberg tobacco control grants programme, technical assistance, training and awareness-building activities since 2006.