1 in 6 Indian families have one or more members consuming Gutkha or chewable tobacco products; Majority want Government to take action on the supply side

May 31, 2023, New Delhi: Today is International Anti-Tobacco Day, a day to raise awareness about the damage caused by consuming tobacco, whose consumption kills over 8 million people each year worldwide. In India, the use of smokeless tobacco, including Gutkha, is a prevalent and dangerous practice that poses serious health risks, especially for oral cancer. Despite being banned by Indian states since 2012, Gutkha remains widely used and available. The ban aimed to control addiction rates and adverse effects of chewing tobacco including Gutkha on the oral mucosa. However, companies producing Gutkha have found ways to circumvent the ban by producing pan masala (a non-tobacco product containing areca nuts, slaked lime, catechu, and seasonings) under the same brand name, with tobacco provided separately in a packet for free, allowing users to prepare their own Gutkha – thus known as two-packet form of Gutkha or twin-packet Gutkha, states a research report “Unsuccessful ban on Gutkha and need for tobacco control in India” published in The Lancet.

Pointing to a recent population-based cancer registry in Varanasi, India, which found that 55% of cancers were related to tobacco use, emphasising the need for tobacco control programmes, The Lancet report stresses that the ban on Gutkha in India has not succeeded in reducing the use of smokeless tobacco. Another survey has revealed the wide availability of illegal smokeless tobacco products in rural and semi-urban areas, including the prevalent use of two-packet Gutkha. India is the world's third-largest producer and exporter (in tonnage) of tobacco products. However, unlike most other countries, the use of smokeless tobacco exceeds smoked tobacco use in India. Around 21·4% (199·4 million) of adults in India use smokeless tobacco, whereas 10·7% (99·5 million) use smoked tobacco products.

Considering the impact of chewing tobacco and Gutkha on the health of both adults and teenagers, who get exposed to it at a very young age seeing family members consume it, LocalCircles conducted a survey to understand the consumption levels, the current availability situation across India despite the ban and then attempted to understand what solutions are needed to make the ban a reality on the ground. The survey received nearly 34,000 responses from citizens located in 318 districts of India. 66% respondents were men and 34% were women. 42% respondents were from tier 1, 32% from tier 2 and 26% respondents were from tier 3, 4 & rural districts.

2 in 3 citizens surveyed conveying that gutkha and other chewable tobacco products are easily available everywhere in their city or district

The first question in the survey sought to understand the availability levels of Gurkha across cities and districts in India. It asked respondents, “How easily are Gutkha and other chewable tobacco products available in your city/district?” This query received 11,488 responses with 2 in 3 citizens surveyed conveying that Gutkha and other chewable tobacco products are easily available everywhere in their city or district. The data shows 49% respondents indicated that Gutkha and other chewable tobacco products are “available in almost every nook and corner”; 18% indicated that it is “available in many places”; 5% stated that it is “available in some select places”; 9% stated that it is “available in just a handful of places”. Only 5% of respondents indicated that it is not easily available at all and 14% gave no clear response. The responses indicate that some cities/ towns are doing a better job of curtailing supply of banned Gutkha and other chewable tobacco products but overall its easily available across India with 2 in 3 citizens saying its available in many places where they live.

1 in 6 Indian families surveyed say they have one or more immediate family members who consume gutkha or other chewable tobacco products

The next survey question sought to understand the consumption levels of Gutkha at a household or family level. It asked respondents, “How many members of your immediate family (including yourself) Gutkha or other chewable tobacco products?” Majority or 83% of 11,349 who answered this query stated that no one in their immediate family or they themselves consume Gutkha or other chewable tobacco products, 10% however indicated that one person in the immediate family consumes it while 4% of respondents indicated that there are 2-3 individual in the family and another 3% respondents shared that there are 4 or more individuals in the immediate family who consume these products. In all, 1 in 6 Indian families surveyed said they have one or more immediate family members who consume Gutkha or other chewable tobacco products.

81% of those surveyed indicated that “the Government should take stringent action to shut all units producing such products”

The final survey question sought to understand the way forward on making the ban a ground reality. It asked respondents “Should the Government take stringent action to shut all units producing such products” as the sale of Gutkha and chewable tobacco products continues despite the ban as the enforcement on the ground has failed. This query received 11,563 responses with 81% stating that “Yes, this is a must” and 19% of respondents objecting stating “No, this shouldn’t be done”. Thus 8 in 10 of Indian surveyed want the Government to shut all units engaged in the production of Gutkha and chewable tobacco products. Many citizens in the community discussions on LocalCircles discussed how the enforcement reliant on local municipal bodies and food departments has been a total failure in most cities. Some citizens also commented on the ban leading to corruption on the ground where officials take bribes to turn a blind eye and letting continue the sale of such products.

In summary, the survey shows that 1 in 6 families have one or more immediate family members who are consuming Gutkha and chewable tobacco products, which are known to cause severe health issues including cancer. The fact that 2 in 3 citizens surveyed conveying that Gutkha and other chewable tobacco products are easily available everywhere in their city or district shows that state and local government machinery has failed to act on the ban orders in the last 10 years despite medical research proving that these products lead to severe illnesses, pain and even early death. The survey also shows that 80% Indians surveyed want the Government to take stringent action against units producing Gutkha and chewable tobacco products. While it is a difficult call to take, it is one that must be taken in the interest of long-term health of the Indians and their upcoming generations.