Will Tobacco Prohibition Work?

The government of Nagaland has announced a state-wide ban on the manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of food products containing tobacco or nicotine for a period of one year. The ban covers products such as gutkha, pan masala, shikhar and all items that have tobacco ingredients, be it in the form of flavour, scent or in any manner for that matter. This measure, the notification stated, is taken in the interest of public health and in compliance with the recent directive from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to comply with the Supreme Court’s order and to ensure effective enforcement of food safety regulations. It is a commendable initiative, a move that can alleviate the burden posed by widespread consumption of smokeless tobacco products in our society. Health experts have been repeatedly warning the public about the implications of extensive tobacco use, linking the high prevalence of cancer, particularly oral cancer, in the Northeast region to this trend, but the challenges persist. While restricting access can reduce tobacco addiction, any policy is only as good as its execution. Sadly, Nagaland has a poor record when it comes to the implementation of policies and programmes that will benefit the citizens. This gives genuine ground for worry.

The prohibition of tobacco products gives a strange sense of déjà vu due to the poor execution of otherwise sound policies in the past. A case in point is the controversial Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act of 1989, which prohibits the possession, sale, consumption, and manufacture of liquor. This Act theoretically makes Nagaland a dry state, but in practice, the opposite is true, as alcohol is easily available across the state. Critics argue that it is indirectly fostering an unregulated underground market, bootlegging, and spurious drinks, which not only pose severe health risks but also deprive the state of revenue. The state-wide ban on single-use plastic items is another failed policy. When too many brilliant concepts and policies falter at the altar of implementation, doubts naturally creep into the minds of the people. This calls for the need to restore faith in institutional governance through awareness, education, transparency and effective execution. There is no doubt about the intention of the government to ban food products containing tobacco, considering the burden it can have on families and healthcare systems, but the same can’t be said about its implementation. The effectiveness of the prohibition will depend on its enforcement on the ground and public co-operation. The porous borders the state shares with its neighbouring states won’t help either. Failure often leads to a blame game between the enforcement agencies and the public, but it takes two to tango.