.... the brain is not a vessel to be filled,
It is something to be IGNITED

BURNING BRAIN NEWSLETTER - May 2006

Nationalising tobacco industry; a possible way to control tobacco

Many found it an unusual conclusion (and some apparently radical) when speaking at the “Conference on Strategy Planning on Tobacco Control” I suggested that “Nationalisation of the Tobacco Industry” is a possible solution to tackle the tobacco menace. Many jaws dropped and I could clearly see many mouths wide open on this suggestion; a few also labelled me as “Removed from the reality” and suggested me to become “Practical.”

For me, this “Nationalisation” option was not an out-of-the-blues impromptu bombshell but rather a well thought out and deliberated suggestion. I had carefully pondered over the possible options after considering the actual state of affairs and the condition of governance in India before arriving at the suggested conclusion of taking over of the tobacco industry by the government as one of the most practical ways of containing tobacco. Some may not agree; I am willing to provide all of them reasons on how and why this is one of the best options for India.

It is impossible to restrain the profit minded tobacco companies just by enforcing legislation or other such methods so we have to find more effective and practical ways to stop the five million annual death-toll due to tobacco. The industry is incorrigible and for them profit will always weigh over the human lives. Even with the most benevolent intentions, it is a foolish assumption (I think it is) that the tobacco industry will work for it’s own de-growth. If tomorrow, cocaine and marijuana becomes even partially legal many greedy hounds will happily jump in to sell that too. We have no phase-out plan for tobacco so that’s a good thing for the industry; it sends a clear message that they can continue doing what they are doing and that tobacco will remain in the society for time immemorial.

A phased de-growth can only be worked out by the governments and not the industry. For this it is pertinent that the government takes over the tobacco industry under its complete control by nationalising tobacco and working on a fade-off plan.

This can be done by chalking out a 20 years phase-out plan with a targeted and properly planned 5 to 10 percent de-growth for the tobacco industry every year. After the premeditated period of 20 years the tobacco industry will shrink to the size of less than one sixth of the present size and then it could be extinguished. This kind of planning is also in the interest of the highly exploited tobacco farmers as the earning from tobacco during the intervening period can go to these marginalised farmers and thereby enable a scientifically phased shifting of the tobacco crop with other cash rich crops. Currently all the earning generated by exploiting tobacco farmers and by tobacco sales are siphoned by a handful of rich tobacco manufacturers and individuals but after nationalisation of the industry a part of the tobacco earning could also be used to treat tobacco related ailments and to meet other health care costs.

Who loose if tobacco industry is taken over by the government?

Public; No. All sections of the society stand to gain out of it.
Tobacco users; No; tobacco would be still available as it is on date; there is no proposal to ban it.
Farmers; No; rather they stand to gain by the additional revenue and by better wages if the government takes over the industry.
Government; No; there shall be greater revenue now available besides by phasing out tobacco, the health care cost will also start coming down.
Share holders; No; system to pay them back the share value over a period of time can be worked out and no economic loss would be caused.

So it’s only a win-win situation barring some minor losses to around 10-20 people around the world who illegally siphon most of the tobacco money.

In a civilised society why should any individual be allowed to profit from someone else’s miseries and death? When for a relatively minor violation affecting human health like selling pest infested food articles, etc. one is put behind bars (for years) under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, then how can we turn a nelsons’ eye to a deadly product like tobacco?

The other urgent requirement (For which we are working since the last two years) is that of licensing the tobacco trade. When even benevolent medicines are sold only through licensed chemists then why should a fatal drug delivery product, “Tobacco” be openly sold? Immediate licensing of all tobacco related activities will add billions of rupees to the government kitty and also be highly helpful in regulating most of the tobacco related demand side violations.

It is a historical mistake that tobacco became a legal product but now is the time to rectify the mistake. We have all the facts, rationale and means to correct one of the biggest mistakes of the civilised world. Let’s work for it.
 

Yours,
Hemant Goswami
Chairperson,
Burning Brain Society

(Download the presentation from http://www.burningbrain.org/pdf/tobaccofuture.pdf)

WNTD Initiative

Seminar on "Passive Smoking" in chandigarh

Download the presentation slides

Someone else’s tobacco smoke can kill you

May 29, 2006, Chandigarh: If you thought that someone else smoking a cigarette/bidi has nothing to do with you, its time that you rethink. Only 15 per cent of the smoke from a cigarette is actually inhaled by the smoker and the rest goes into the surrounding air which other people passively breathe in. This was revealed by Mr. Hemant Goswami of Burning Brain Society at a seminar on “The Joy of Smoke Free Public Places” at central library today. The seminar was jointly conducted by Burning Brain Society and American Corner of the Chandigarh Central State Library.

Breathing air which contains tobacco smoke can be bad for your health because the tiny particles and gases in tobacco smoke contain over 4,000 chemicals, 200 of these chemicals are known poisons and at least 60 are known to cause cancer. The gases in second hand smoke includes; ammonia, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, carbon monoxide, chromium,  DDT,  formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, lead, nickel, N-nitrosamines, sulphur dioxide, vinyl chloride, carbon monoxide, etc. Many of these gases are the same which comes out of car exhaust and similar to pesticide residues. Though the second hand tobacco smoke contains most of the same chemicals as that smokers inhale but what’s alarming is that the concentration of most toxic and carcinogenic chemicals is much higher in second hand smoke due to which it has been identified as one of the leading source of toxic chemical exposure and number one environmental cause of cancer. These were some other startling facts shared in the seminar.

Mr. Hemant further revealed that wife and children of smokers and people working in areas where others smoke like restaurants, hotels, bars, etc. are at much higher risk of cardio vascular diseases, cancer, bronchitis, asthmas and other ailments. A smoker’s wife stands around 30% higher risk of getting a heart attack then that of a non-smoker. Similarly studies have found that waiters and bartenders working in restaurants have 50 to 150 percent higher chances of dying from hear attacks, lung cancer and for overall mortality even after taking into account the active use of smoking, alcohol and the socioeconomic status.

Next time when a colleague of yours smoke in the office, just recollect the fact that spending 8 hours in an office where people smoke is equivalent to smoking 6 cigarettes yourself and when you visit a smoky bar even for 2 hours it is equivalent of smoking 4 cigarettes.

Report on future possibilities and strategies discussed on WNTD

Download the presentation slides

May 31, 2006: Speaking at the WHO and Ministry of Health supported National Conference on Tobacco Control, chairperson of Burning Brain Society, Mr. Hemant Goswami detailed about the future possibilities and strategies to control tobacco. He emphasised that it was impossible to restrain the profit minded tobacco companies just by enforcing legislation or any suchlike means and therefore the only effective way to stop the one million annual death toll due to tobacco was by chalking out a firm fade-out plan which required that the government takes over the tobacco industry under its complete control by nationalising it.

Further detailing a plan for nationalisation of the tobacco industry Hemant Goswami said that the government should chalk out a 20 years phase-out plan with a targeted and properly planned 5 to 10 percent de-growth for the tobacco industry every year. After the premeditated period of 20 years the tobacco industry will shrink to the size of less than one sixth of the present size and then it could be ultimately put to an end. This kind of planning shall also be in the interest of the highly exploited tobacco farmers as the earning from tobacco during the intervening period can go to these marginalised farmers and thereby enable a scientifically phased shifting of the tobacco crop with other cash rich crops. Currently all the earning generated by exploiting tobacco farmers and by tobacco sales are siphoned by a handful of rich tobacco manufacturers and individuals but after nationalisation of the industry a part of the tobacco earning could also be used to treat tobacco related ailments and to meet other health care costs.

In a civilised society “Why should any individual be allowed to profit from someone else’s miseries and death? When for a relatively minor violation affecting human health like selling pest infested daal, food articles, etc. one is put behind bars (for years) under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, then how can we turn a nelsons’ eye to a deadly product like tobacco?” questioned Hemant.

Emphasising on the other strategy of licensing all tobacco shops, for which Burning Brain Society is trying to convince the government since last two years, Hemant said, “When even benevolent medicines are sold only through licensed chemists then why should a fatal drug delivery product, “Tobacco” be openly sold. Immediate licensing of all tobacco related activities will add billions of rupees to the government kitty and also be highly helpful in regulating most of the tobacco related demand side violations.”

“It has been two years since the tobacco control act has been legislated but still not even a single case of violation has been registered across any of the 35 states or union territory of India against any tobacco company. This is despite the fact that grave violations of legal provisions of the Cigarette and the tobacco products 2003 takes place every day. The patronage of corrupt bureaucrats and many selfish politicians enables the tobacco companies to continue target youngsters and children and openly promote tobacco through various other means, though banned by law. One tobacco company has gone to the extent of legally making payment of over four and a half crores rupees (and even mentioned it in its balance sheet to claim tax benefit) through cheques to 18 political parties with representation in the parliament.” It’s the whole nation which loose out on account of greed of a few individuals which allow the tobacco industry to flourish, lamented Hemant.

High court directs the government to enforce tobacco laws

May 11, 2006, Chandigarh: In response to a public interest petition filed by the NGO Burning Brain Society (BBS), the High Court of Punjab and Haryana has issued strict directions to the Union Government, the Governments of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Administration to enforce the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 in its letter and spirit.

BBS had filed a writ petition in the High Court requesting strict enforcement of the legislation and for restraining one of the tobacco companies from promoting the brand name of a cigarette under the guise of bravery awards. The tobacco company today informed the court that it has removed the name of the cigarette brand from all its literature, promotional material and such reference from the internet too. The union government also filed its reply today which stated that such prize ceremony in the name of a cigarette brand did constitute an offence under the Cigarettes and Tobacco Product Act.

Mr. Hemant Goswami of Burning Brain Society, who appeared in person, highlighted that children as young as 7 years are getting addicted to tobacco in the area because of the apathy of the Government and in support of the contention showed today’s copy of the english newspaper “Chandigarh Newsline” with a news item revealing such facts. The court took note of the fact and thereby directed Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Union of India to enforce the tobacco related laws.

While expressing satisfaction over the direction of the court Mr. Hemant Goswami said that they were expecting more and were hoping for a direction for strict action against tobacco companies violating the tobacco control act; which did not come. Hemant told that BBS is now contemplating moving the Supreme Court.

Watch, what GPI was doing

Godfrey Phillips India Ltd. had engaged a team of youngsters by to promote the cigarette brands marketed by them. They had told the youngsters that it's a research activity and not an advertising or marketing campaign. A police report has been registered at the sector 17 police station in Chandigarh. BBS is now (As of May 2006) fighting for a proper trial in the registered case.

Watch the still pictures of the activity at;
http://gallery.globalink.org/v/members/goswamih/gpi_india

Watch some video clips of the illegal activity at; http://gallery.globalink.org/v/members/goswamih/gpimovie/

VIOLATIONS: What all provisions constitute violation under Section 5 of the Tobacco control Act.

PENAL PROVISIONS: What is the Punishment for violation of the provisions of the tobacco control Act?

Section 22 of the Act reads that; Whoever contravenes the provision of section 5 shall, on conviction, be punishable— (a) in the case of first conviction, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both, and (b) in the case of second or subsequent conviction with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees.

Become a vigilant citizen; Participate in the Citizens Report project

It appears that the unaccounted actions and arbitrary decisions of many government officials are going to face some real challenge ahead and may become a thing of the past. Burning Brain Society (BBS) and Society for Prevention of Crime & Corruption along with the support of many other national and international organisations has decided to use the Right to Information Act to bring out a citizen’s report on the functioning of various departments of the government.

Announcing this new project today, Mr. Hemant Goswami, chairperson of BBS revealed that beginning May 2006, every month at least one government department shall be thoroughly scanned, scrutinized and evaluated for its public functioning. An annual report on the overall health and functioning of the Administration shall also be brought out at the end of every year. The citizen’s report shall be freely available on the internet, published in associate newspapers and in book form. Mr. Hemant further revealed that the entire effort of preparation of the citizen’s report shall be totally done by public spirited volunteers.

Lamenting the recent arbitrary decisions by the administrations like the one on public transport, mushrooming of the liquor vends, proposal of a film city and amusement park, etc. Goswami said, “The bureaucracy is taking the general public for a ride and has become totally unaccountable and insensitive to the public sentiment which needs to be changed.”

The departments which are initially planned to come under the BBS citizen’s report are Law & Justice, Police, Education, Tourism, Sports, Health, IT, Municipal Corporation, Labour, Housing, Civic facilities and such other department providing citizens services.
BBS has also invited organisations and concerned citizens to volunteer for the project. Those interested can call 0172-5165555 or e-mail at info(at)burningbrain.org.

New initiatives in AIDS Vaccine
A report by Hemant Goswami

There is no AIDS vaccine being researched in Asia. Though it has become immaterial that where clinical trials or work on development of AIDS vaccine is carried out, but it only shows that despite the immense potential and its knowledge power, Asia is not using its full potential and once again found wanting to address the world’s most dreaded epidemic. Some early stage of human trials of vaccines developed elsewhere is indeed planned in India.

As of date, there are more than 30 preventive AIDS vaccine candidates in early stages of human clinical trials in approximately two dozen countries around the world. International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) partnerships have supported the development and placement of two novel candidate vaccines in international trials in the past 14 months. IAVI has also entered into a multi-partner, multi-country trial of a prime-boost combination of two vaccines, IAVI V001.

IAVI and collaborators are currently conducting trials in India, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, and the United States to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of vaccine candidates. A trial in Pune, India – conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), and IAVI – marks the country’s first AIDS vaccine trial. Initiated in February 2005, the partners have recently completed the recruitment and vaccination stages of the study. International vaccine organizations and private sector companies, such as HIV Vaccine Trials Network, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Merck, Wyeth, and Guangxi Center for Disease Control have also begun Phase I studies in Peru, Kenya, Thailand, Brazil, and China.

The different trials involve 45 to 104 healthy volunteers who demonstrate full understanding of the study. In addition to monitoring trial participants to determine the safety of the vaccine product, during this stage of research, investigators also analyze blood samples to see if any immune response to the vaccine can be detected.

Researchers know that the immune systems of some individuals have some natural ability to prevent infection with HIV. In other individuals, the immune system appears to control the progression of the disease. Experimental vaccines against SIV, a close cousin of HIV that infects monkeys, have been shown to prevent AIDS. Together, these findings support the scientific potential for a vaccine to prevent AIDS in humans. Currently there are more than two dozen potential vaccines in clinical trials in humans, and at least as many are in earlier stages of study.

Tobacco addiction is a global epidemic that is increasingly ravaging countries and regions that can least afford its toll of disability, disease, lost productivity and death. The tobacco industry continues to put profits before life; its own expansion before the health of future generations; its own economic gain ahead of the sustainable development of struggling countries.

Nowadays, tobacco companies continue to expand with new variants of the "light", "mild" and "low tar" cigarette campaigns so popular in the 20th century. Nowadays, they reassure health concerned smokers by offering with their new products the illusion of safety. They continue to take their old and new customers to more insidious levels of deception by promoting and selling new products disguised under healthier names, fruity flavours or more attractive-looking packaging.

Objective:

The purpose of World No Tobacco Day 2006 is to encourage countries and governments to work towards strict regulation of tobacco products. We will do this by raising awareness about the existence of the wide variety of deadly tobacco products. Regulation should also help people get accurate information, remove the disguise and unveil the truth behind tobacco products – traditional, new, and future.

JOIN PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD ON THE CELEBRATION OF WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY 2006. START RAISING AWARENESS NOW ABOUT TOBACCO: DEADLY IN ANY FORM OR DISGUISE

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

When Tobacco Companies bribe to keep quite

Many wondered why even after India’s ratification of the “Framework Convention on Tobacco Control” and despite a two years old tobacco control act nothing much has changed concerning enforcement of the tobacco laws and controlling the tobacco menace. People often contemplate as to how tobacco companies are able to evade legal action by the government while still doing surrogate advertisement in the name of selling garments, offering bravery awards or fashion shows, etc.

In a communication sent to the Health Ministry, the NGO Burning Brain Society (BBS) brought some gory facts to public limelight. BBS revealed that all the major political parties who are opposing tobacco bans in movies and soft peddling the enforcement of the tobacco laws have been provided open political donations by major multinational tobacco companies. The donation runs in crores for the national parties. In 2005, India’s biggest tobacco company ITC Limited had provided 1.44 crore Rupees to the Congress and 1.37 crore to BJP (The two biggest Indian political parties). Even Punjab’s political party, “Shiromani Akali Dal,” which claims to work on Sikhism philosophy (prohibiting tobacco use) accepted a sum of Rs. 8 lakh from the tobacco company. ITC’s audited financial report shows that in 2005 it donated a sum ranging from 3 lakhs to 144 lakhs to 18 major political parties having representation in the parliament. It is the same story for the current financial year too though the official figures for 2006 are yet to be published.

Mr. Hemant Goswami, chairman of BBS said, “Every year nearly a million people die because of tobacco use and about two million youngsters become new tobacco addicts in India. In the light of these facts, it is quite shameful that even the most trusted political parties have decided to be a part of the tobacco genocide and sided with tobacco companies solely for the money they provide them.” While on one hand many social activists are spending and risking their lives to contain the tobacco generated death toll but unfortunately on the other hand most of the politicians are finding ways to mitigate the good work done on tobacco control even though their actual duty is to save millions from dying, Hemant rued.

It may be mentioned that in the 2005 (WHO sponsored) study done on the use of tobacco in movies it was found that over 67 percent Hindi movies having product shots of tobacco brands were of those brands which were marketed by ITC. Many politicians had openly opposed the move of restraining tobacco product shots in Hindi movies.

Burning Brain has requested the Health Ministry to desist from involving such functionary in any activity/committee on tobacco control who belongs to political parties accepting donations from tobacco companies.

Some of the parties which have accepted money in 2005 from ITC Limited are All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Rs. 0.06 Crore; All India Trinamool Congres - Rs. 0.04 Crore; Bahujan Samaj Party - Rs.0.19 Crore ; Bharatiya Janata Party - Rs.1.37 Crores; Biju Janata Dal - Rs.0.11Crore ; Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Rs.0.16 Crore; Indian National Congress - Rs.1.44 Crores; Indian National Lok Dal - Rs.0.03 Crore; Jammu & Kashmir National Conference -Rs. 0.03 Crore ; Nationalist Congress Party - Rs.0.09 Crore; Samajwadi Party -Rs. 0.36 Crore; Shiv Sena - Rs.0.12 Crore; Telegu Desam Party - Rs. 0.15 Crore; Janata Dal (United) - Rs.0.08 Crore; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha - Rs.0.05Crore; Rashtriya Janata Dal - Rs. 0.21 Crore; Shiromani Akali Dal - Rs. 0.08 Crore; Telangana Rashtra Samithi -Rs. 0.05 Crore.

Documents you can refer to:

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Research Report on "Tobacco In Movies"

The report on "Tobacco In Movies" have been released now. We are thankful to all of you who provided valuable inputs and helped on the project. You can download your copy from http://www.burningbrain.org/tobaccoinmovies or read the report online.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Watch how Hindi Movies are pushing chemical addiction

You can download a 7 minutes film (Projection quality) from http://gallery.globalink.org/d/12358-1/tobacco_in_movies_BBSindia-7mins.wmv and see the result of the survey of Indian movies in 2004 and 2005.

You can also watch a 32 minute movie on "Tobacco in Hindi Movies." You can watch the movie online (on the internet without downloading it) at http://www.burningbrain.org/tobaccoinmovies/playmovie.htm
 

Join BBS

Not a member of Burning Brain Society? Join BBS. Click Here.

Support Burning Brain

Friends,

You can support us in a number of ways. You can join the crusade, provide financial resources, contribute in cash or kind, donate resources, volunteer and be a contributing person.

You can send your payments/drafts/cheques and other contributions in favour of Burning Brain Society, payable at Chandigarh and addressed to:

Burning Brain Society
Glass Office 3, Business Arcade, Shivalikview, Sector 17-E, Chandigarh 160 017 INDIA

[Home] [Previous Page]