Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in India

3rd October 2024: India: Earlier this year, the Ministry of Finance decided not to raise the tobacco tax in the Union Budget 2024. However, a panel of ministers has deliberated on increasing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on cigarettes and tobacco products, which are currently taxed at a rate of 28%. The rate could be raised since the compensation levy on so-called sin goods, including cigarettes and tobacco products, is set to end in March 2026.
3rd October 2024: India: The Indian Dental Association has launched a tobacco-cessation certification programme in Kashmir to train professionals with the skills to help patients quit smoking. This training programme aims to reinforce dentists’ role in public health.
25th September 2024: India: The Union Government has called on state governments to enforce tobacco-free guidelines in educational institutions more rigorously. In a joint advisory, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare urged state chief secretaries to ensure the strict implementation of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) manual.
25th September 2024: India: The government has proposed mandatory 30-second, non-skippable anti-tobacco ads on streaming platforms to run before and during films made after 1st September 2023 that depict tobacco use. Additionally, a static warning message must be displayed at the bottom of the screen for the entire duration tobacco is shown, according to local reports.
20th September 2024: India: Tobacco Cessation Centres (TCCs) will be virtually inaugurated in all medical institutions across India on 24th September. Guidelines for establishing the TCCs were previously issued. It is hoped the establishment of these TCCs will help India to combat its tobacco-use epidemic.
20th September 2024: India: The Sikkim state government has announced a ban on smoking in all public spaces, including office premises, washrooms and toilets, press reports. This initiative aims to promote a healthier living environment and improve the state’s overall liveability, as outlined in a recent government notice.
19th September 2024: India: A new study has found a sharp increase in smoking and tobacco use in northeastern India. Published in the Annals of Oncology Research and Therapy, the study reports a 12% rise in smoking rates in the region, compared to a 17% national decline. Smoking prevalence in the northeast is 16.9%, much higher than the 10.7% national average. Smokeless tobacco use is also nearly double the national rate, at 40.5% versus 21.4%. The study links this high prevalence to social and cultural influences, including parental habits and early exposure to tobacco.
17th September 2024: India: The central government has proposed stricter tobacco regulations for online content platforms, amending the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Rules, 2024. By increasing exposure to anti-tobacco messages, the government aims to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and discourage its consumption.
10th September 2024: India: The Anti-Tobacco Forum has called on the Karnataka state government to ensure that the upcoming Dasara festival (a major Hindu celebration) will be held as a “tobacco-free Mysuru Dasara”. Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, the forum’s convener, made the appeal following the state government’s recent announcement that Mysuru Dasara 2024 will be celebrated on a grand scale.
10th September 2024: India: Health experts have highlighted India’s unique tobacco burden, noting that both traditional products – such as bidis – and modern cigarettes contribute to the widespread use of tobacco. Narender Saini, former general secretary of the Indian Medical Association, said that, despite strict tobacco control measures, around 267m people in India continue to use tobacco – resulting in nearly 1m tobacco-related deaths each year.
29th July 2024: India: The Ministry of Finance has decided not to increase the tobacco tax in the Union Budget 2024. Although tobacco tax falls mostly under the remit of the Goods and Services Tax Council (GST), the government can decide to levy a National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD), which can be adjusted in the Union Budget. The minister of finance decided to keep the tax unchanged in this year's budget presentation, alleging that the NCCD tax was last changed with a 16% increase last year, press reports.
29th July 2024: India: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is working on a proposal to further tighten foreign direct investment (FDI) rules in the tobacco sector, press reports. Currently, FDI is banned in the manufacturing of tobacco products but it is permitted in technology collaboration in any form, including licensing for franchise, trademark, brand name and management contracts in the tobacco sector. The proposed measures aim to curb promotional activities and smuggling, as companies are reportedly circumventing existing regulations. The proposal is being circulated across ministries to gather feedback.

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