THE directorate general of health services is said to have requested the Indian cricket board to stop displaying surrogate in-stadium advertisement of smokeless tobacco products endorsed by Bollywood celebrities and cricketers. This follows a report highlighting the large volume of surrogate advertising of gutkha products in cricket stadiums during the World Cup played in India last year.
The report revealed that, of all the ads for smokeless tobacco brands, 41.3 percent were displayed during cricket matches. Of these, 40.3 percent were shown during matches featuring the Indian team, while 37.8 percent were shown during the matches played by four other South Asian countries Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. There is no doubt about the intent behind the choice of these countries. Their large cricket-loving viewership was being targeted for the sale of tobacco products. While India has enacted strong legislation to ban the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of all tobacco products, surrogate advertising has been rampant on the electronic media as a gateway to surreptitious product promotion.
The study on advertising during the World Cup was conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) along with Vital Strategies, an international health NGO. The authorship of a leading government science agency like the ICMR renders the report less vulnerable to the tobacco industry's reflexive attack that internationally-funded NGOs are aiming to weaken Indian economy by reducing tobacco consumption—an evasive tactic it has often employed in the past to divert attention from the health harms of tobacco.
It remains to be seen if the health ministry's appeal would influence a powerful body like the cricket board to curtail surrogate advertising of tobacco products, prioritising public health over revenue.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
NIA probe ordered as LeT wing claims responsibility for Ganderbal strikes
THE Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has handed over the probe into the attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district, in which a doctor and six migrant workers were killed late on Sunday evening, to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), as a four-member-team has left for the Union Territory (UT), sources said on Monday.
'VPN chaining making task of agencies difficult in hoax bomb threat calls'
THE Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has stepped in to deal with the spate of hoax bomb threats to the airlines last week with Home Secretary Govind Monhan on Monday meeting top officials of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
SC restrains states, UTs from acting on NCPCR move to close madrasas
THE SC on Monday stayed the recent orders of UP and Tripura governments which directed that all students in unrecognised madrasas and non-Muslim students studying in government-aided madrasas be shifted to government schools.
Rajasthan BJP faces internal strife over distribution of tickets
THE ruling BJP in Rajasthan is facing internal strife following the announcement of candidates for six out of seven assembly seats where by-elections will be held on November 13.
Raut meets Shah, denies joining hands with BJP
GRIPPED by a fear of loss in its seat-share talks with Congress a day after letting it be known that it was nursing extreme ideas about its MVA association in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena appeared to move back from the brink. Then, on Monday, it turned to BJP to reinforce its MVA cover with Sanjay Raut going some length to dismiss his reported meeting with Union minister Amit Shah.
Decks cleared for grand Simhastha-'28 in Ujjain
CHIEF Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday announced a comprehensive plan which will allow the 13 akharas and other sadhus and sanyasis to build permanent ashrams in Madhya Pradesh's holy city, Ujjain, on the lines of Haridwar.
Another senior cop shunted for failing to reach Bahraich communal clash site
ACTIONS against police officials of the trouble-torn central UP district of Bahraich, which witnessed communal conflagration resulting in the loss of life on October 13 and 14, continued on Monday with the removal of the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) (Rural) Pavitra Mohan Tripathi.
Cong deputes Thorat to iron out Maha differences
AS the standoff over seat-sharing between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) continues, the Congress leadership on Monday deployed state legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat to mediate on the contentious seats.
Nitish at it again, asks DGP to recruit cops with folded hands
BIHAR Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday urged DGP Alok Raj to expedite the process of recruitment of more policemen ahead of the assembly elections in the state due next year.
Cracks in INDIA bloc as Cong, SP announce candidates for Budhni
CRACKS are out in the open in INDIA bloc in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. Surprising its ally Congress, the SP has named its candidate for the Budhni assembly bypoll.
