Union Health Ministry urges BCCI, SAI to take steps to prevent surrogate advertising of tobacco, alcohol products

New Delhi [India], August 1 : The Union Health Ministry on Thursday urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Sports Authority of India (BCCI) to take positive measures to prevent surrogate advertising of tobacco and alcohol-related products by sportspersons.
The ministry sent letters to top sports bodies addressing the risk of disease due to these harmful substances and urged them to take various steps to control its surrogate advertising of such products. The ministry also expressed disappointment with some sportspersons indulging in advertising tobacco, given their status of role models in a society.
In the letter sent to BCCI and SAI, the Health Ministry noted that tobacco is one major risk factor contributing to diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes.
"Tobacco use is the one risk factor common to the four main groups of non-communicable diseases -- cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes. India ranks second in tobacco-related deaths worldwide, with nearly 13.5 lakh preventable deaths recorded each year. Also, tobacco-related cancers constitute 33 per cent of all cancers in India with almost 50 per cent cancers in males and 17 per cent in females attributed to tobacco. Surveys have shown that the age of initiation for tobacco consumption in India is as low as seven years," said the ministry's letter.
The ministry also said that in order to address the rising tobacco use, the central government had launched the National Tobacco Control Programme in 2007-08 with the intention to create awareness about harms of these products, make people quit them and ensure proper implementation of all the laws related to the matter.
The health ministry said that both BCCI and SAI are given responsibility to create policies, roadmap and guidelines for the promotion and governance of various sports, including cricket, keeping in mind the players and fans.
"Sportspersons, especially cricketers are role models for society, especially youngsters for promoting a healthy, active and productive lifestyle and it is disheartening to see surrogate advertisements of tobacco and/or alcohol related products by some of the most well known cricketers and also famous actors during cricketing events such as IPL. These personalities are role models for million of youth across the country," added the ministry while addressing BCCI.
While addressing SAI, the health ministry said in a separate letter, "The SAI is entrusted with objectives of sports promotion and achieving sporting excellence. Sportsperson(s) are role models for the society especially youngsters for promoting a healthy, active and productive lifestyle and it is disheartening to see some of them directly or indirectly promoting tobacco and related products."
The health ministry urged BCCI and SAI to take some positive measures to prevent such surrogate advertising of alcohol and tobacco related products, such as "signing the anti-tobacco declaration of interest form", "not advertising/promoting such products in stadiums or events" hosted or partnered by both the parties and "issuing directives to players under their ambit to refrain from surrogate advertising/promotion/partnership" related to such products.
"Such measures shall not only help in reducing the consumption of tobacco especially amongst youth but also reinforce a positive image of sportspersons as advocates of health and fitness and continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity and responsibility in sports. Let's join hands to create a tobacco-free generation and a healthier India," concluded the letter.