New Delhi, September 28
Even though the ITC and the Hotel and Restaurant Association have challenged the Indian smoke-free law, to come into effect from October 2, a survey has shown that a majority of Indians are in favour of the law.
Conducted between August 9 and 24 in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata (where 71 per cent males are smokers), the survey concludes that 97 per cent respondents want smoke-free public and workplaces, restaurant and bars. Maximum support has come from Mumbai followed by Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi. Importantly, 84 per cent urban Indians believe exposure to second-hand smoke is serious, something the new Indian smoke-free law hugely recognises.
Presenting new evidence, Monica Arora of HRIDAY, which works with the health ministry on anti-tobacco campaign said: “We are not concerned about the outcome of petitions challenging the smoke-free law. The Supreme Court while hearing a similar matter in 2001 had held that a person’s right to life is supreme. Right to life includes right to health.”
Moreover, the notion that banning smoking in public will lead to decline in revenues, is misplaced. Global evidence shows that bar and restaurant revenues increase in smoke-free environment. A 2005 review of 115 studies from Australia, Canada, and the USA demonstrated that smoke-free legislation does not have negative impact on sales, revenues, profits or employment of restaurants, bars, hotels, and gaming facilities over the long term.
Shobha John from Global Smoke-free Partnership told The Tribune: “The tobacco and hospitality lobby claims that smoke-free initiatives reduce their revenues by 30 per cent. There is no evidence to back this claim.”
New Zealand went smoke-free in all
public and workplaces in 2004. The evaluation of its law showed no significant impact on tourist industry. There was in fact evidence of positive impact on restaurant and café sector. Number of overseas visitors and their expenditure increased by 1.5 per cent and 3.3 per cent, respectively, in 2005, to a record level.
Even in South Africa no adverse impact on sales was registered after the smoke-free law was enforced, 81 per cent restaurants saw no change or positive change in revenue; the remaining 19 per cent reported insignificant decrease in revenue
On the health front, smoke-free initiatives have always brought encouraging results. A smoking ban in closed spaces was introduced in Turkey in May 2008. Cigarette consumption reduced over one-year duration. “Smokers smoked 520 million cigarettes less in July 2008 than in the same month of 2007 and 457 million cigarettes less in August 2008 than in August 2007. Further, rate of decrease totalling 4.6 per cent in July and August compared to the same months of 2007,” said John.
With three days to go for smoke-free law in India, anti-tobacco activists point out that the hotel and tobacco lobby has challenged the law mainly to create confusion. “The law has existed for five years under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act of 2003. What took them so long to challenge it?” Shobha John questions.
Indian smoke-free law defines public place as any place which general public can visit, as a matter of right or not.
