'Tobacco glamorisation could fuel cancer, lung disease'

Health and education experts have warned that the growing glamorisation of tobacco through surrogate advertising and its normalisation, by selling it alongside toffees and candies, pose a serious threat to the health of children and adolescents.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

They cautioned that if this trend is not checked urgently, it could lead to a new epidemic of cancer and lung diseases in the coming years.

The warning came during a National Youth Day webinar titled 'The Silent Push: Tobacco and Young India', organised by Tobacco Free India, a citizen initiative, on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand.

Speakers noted that while India has taken several commendable steps in recent years to strengthen tobacco control, children and young people between 10 and 20 years of age are increasingly being targeted through subtle and indirect practices.

They stressed that addressing this challenge would require tighter controls on surrogate promotions, strict limits on point-of-sale visibility, and ensuring that tobacco is not sold alongside products meant for children.