Anti Tobacco Forum opposes reported launch of nicotine-laced candies, toffees, and ice creams
Anti Tobacco Forum (ATF), Mysuru, has opposed the reported launch of nicotine-laced candies, toffees, and ice creams by the tobacco industry in different parts of the world.
In a statement issued on the eve of 'World No Tobacco Day 2025' on the theme 'Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products', Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, convenor of ATF, Mysuru, said the nicotine-laced products launched by tobacco industry have emerged as the newest threat to public health from tobacco that is already claiming a large number of deaths worldwide.
Designed to make the children and youth of today addicted to tobacco, these nicotine-laced products should be banned by the authorities like e-cigarettes, said Mr. Mysoremath.
'Tobacco industry is aiming at turning children into addicts to increase profits,' said Mr. Mysmoremath, while pointing out that WHO expects to create awareness in the minds of children/adults about the harmful effects of consuming tobacco products and wants countries to adopt stronger policies, including a ban on flavours that make tobacco and nicotine products more appealing for protecting public health.
Pointing out tobacco kills 8 million people annually, he said tobacco consumption leads to various non-communicable diseases like cancer, blood pressure, lung infection, asthma, etc.
Mr. Mysoremath regretted that many governments of signatory countries to the WHO-sponsored Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are found to be adopting dual standards in implementing the guidelines prescribed in FCTC.
'Some countries even subsidise tobacco cultivation by financing through supply of implements, concessions for fertilizers, easy loans through government banks, procuring excess grown tobacco by licensed and unlicensed growers, insurance money of policy holders invested in tobacco companies, elected political leaders assuring tobacco farmers to continue to grow quality tobacco and participating in events organised by tobacco farmers association and tobacco industry,' he said.
'Why is cultivation, production, and supply system of tobacco not being efficiently controlled is the big question?', he asked and wondered why the authorities, who had the discretion to either withdraw or cancel the permits and sanctions to grow tobacco and start tobacco products manufacturing facility,were not doing so.
In order to help farmers give up tobacco farming and become debt-free, Mr. Mysoremath sought the creation of a corpus from the Budget or seek international funding and clear the outstanding loans of farmers as a one-time tobacco control measure and withdraw their licenses to cultivate tobacco with an affidavit that they will adopt alternate crops.
'This way, it is possible to effectively control the raw material supply to the tobacco industry,' he said.
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