Anbumani seeks strict enforcement of public smoking ban amid rise in passive smoking deaths

CHENNAI: Expressing deep concern over a massive surge in fatalities linked to second hand smoke, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday urged central and state governments to strictly enforce the ban on smoking in public places.

Citing a recent global medical study published in "The Lancet Public Health", Anbumani highlighted that passive smoking claimed 3,25,600 lives in India in 2023 alone and that represents a 49.56 per cent increase compared to 1990, when 2,17,700 deaths were recorded.

According to the study, mortality rates due to secondhand smoke rose by 61.74 per cent among men and 38.35 per cent among women. While the population exposed to passive smoking grew by only 18.40 per cent from 37.50 crore to 44.40 crore, the nearly 50 per cent jump in fatalities underscores the severity of the hazard.

"The primary reason for this alarming trend is the failure to curb public smoking. Innocent non-smokers, particularly women and children, suffer severe health consequences due to the irresponsible actions of others," Anbumani said in a statement.

Reflecting on his tenure as Union Health Minister (2004–2009), the PMK leader recalled overcoming strong opposition to enact the law banning public smoking, which took effect on October 2, 2008.

"While the Central Government enacted the legislation, he stressed that state governments bear the primary duty of enforcement", he added.

Criticizing the state's relaxed approach, the PMK leader pointed out that Tamil Nadu authorities booked only 3.89 lakh violators and collected Rs 6.83 crore in fines over a 15-and-a-half-year period (October 2, 2008, to March 31, 2024).

"This averages out to just 68 violations cited per day across the state, with an average fine of Rs 177 per offender", he said adding that the Health Department's latest policy note omitted enforcement data post April 2024, raising doubts about the government's commitment to implementing the law.

Claiming that the medical experts warn that secondhand smoke poses identical hazards to direct smoking, he said, "inhaled nicotine accumulates in blood vessels supplying the brain and heart, leading to conditions such as heart disease, stroke, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes".

"Central and state governments must not allow innocent individuals especially the 1.56 lakh women dying annually from passive smoke to pay with their lives. State governments, including Tamil Nadu, must enforce the public smoking ban with utmost rigor," Anbumani asserted.