Tobacco Control Initiatives in India and Around the World

Tobacco use causes a wide range of major diseases which impact nearly every organ of the body. These include several types of cancers, heart diseases and lung diseases. As tobacco use continues to rise in many parts of the world, it becomes increasingly more important that governments work jointly with civil society to implement the mandates of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to protect their citizens from tobacco and educate them about the dangers associated with its use. World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and a package of evidence-based measures proven to reduce tobacco use called MPOWER. Government of India launched the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in the year 2007-08 during the 11th Five-Year-Plan which is been carried out successfully in controlling tobacco usage in India.