A thread on tobacco industry interference in public health: Got to be a panelist @nctoh2020 session on stopping #tobacco industry interference - use of a range of tactics by industry to influence tobacco control measures. I shared the stories of struggles & hope. (1/n) https://twitter.com/dr_hebbar/status/1309421649217777665

2010: In the Institute of Public Health vs State of Karnataka & Ors, the court asked @TobaccoBoard to withdraw participation and sponsorship to an industry event, Global Tobacco Networking Forum as it amounted to promoting tobacco. (2/n)

These fora still happen, now called Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum. In fact, @TobaccoBoard received awards in these fora in 2014 & 2019. At least, the Board now has a policy for no further horizontal expansion for tobacco growing in India. (3/n)

2011: In the same case, the Govt of India promised a Code for public officials on their dealings with the tobacco industry. Finally, in 2020, @MoHFW_INDIA adopted such a code, limited to the institutions governed by it. In meantime, 14 Indian states adopted such a policy (4/n)

2014: In Tamilnadu Peoples Forum for Tobacco Control
Vs Union of India & Ors @cyrilalexs asked for exclusion of the tobacco industry from mandated CSR (WHO calls it PR strategy) & instead for that contribution to go to Govt of India for supporting ppl affected with tobacco (5/n)

The Court, recognizing it as a policy matter, asked for inter-ministerial consultations to work out appropriate modality. In 2016, @MoCA_GoI clarified that any CSR must comply with prevailing laws including #COTPA (tobacco control law). CSR by the industry remains prevalent (6/n)

2015: In Cancer Patients Aid Association Vs State Of Karnataka & Ors, the petitioner asked to stop subsidies and other incentives for tobacco crop considering India's commitment to tobacco control including ratification of the @FCTCofficial (7/n)

The court, recognizing it as a policy matter, asked the Centre and State to coordinate to "take steps for
a reduction in local demand and supply of tobacco products" while taking measures to rehabilitate tobacco farmers & workers. (8/n)

2017: In Sumitra Hooda Pednekar & Ors Vs Life Insurance Corporation of India & Ors, the petitioner asked for divestments by public sector insurance firms from tobacco businesses, noticing that while these firms reject claims of tobacco users, they invest heavily in tobacco (9/n)

Their first prayer was for the five public sector insurance firms to divest over 765 billion INR from tobacco-related businesses. The case is ongoing. Yes, public sector undertakings remain major investors in cigarette firms in India today (10/n)

So, as @allofmilov highlights in The Cigarette: A Political History, the tobacco industry while very powerful is also vulnerable and open to challenges. We need to look at history from different vantage points. Of course, a long road ahead in stopping industry interference (11/n)

We also released the India Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2020 produced through the collaborative work of 26 tobacco control researchers & practitioners assessing the degree of industry interference & implementation of @FCTCofficial Article 5.3 for the year 2019 (12/n)

While the interference remains high on the whole, the Index 2020 (score 61/100) shows a small but definite improvement in reducing industry interference compared to 2019 (score 69/100) & 2018 (score 72/100). Thanks to government policies and CSO vigilance. (end of thread)