PANJIM: The National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) India has appealed Goa government to immediately withdraw Paan Masala and other tobacco advertisements displayed on State run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) buses and other public places.
In a letter to the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, NOTE President Dr Shekhar Salkar has pointed out dubious means of surrogate advertising and ostentatious proxy hoardings displayed by tobacco and cigarette products companies across the State.
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“The extravagant, dubious advertisements exhibited in public domain under the grab of Paan Masala and other mouth freshener products are in actual surrogate methods of publicising tobacco products,” Dr Salkar said.
Dr Salkar urged the chief minister to issue necessary directions to all the concerned departments to identify and withdraw such surrogate advertisements.
NOTE also requested the chief minister to put in place injunctions to refrain departments from engaging private companies promoting products having adverse effect on health.
He further pointed out that as per the latest Goa State survey done by GATS 2019 it is indicative that smokeless tobacco consumption has been increased especially in rural areas and such ‘surrogated’ advertisements are largely attributed to this trend.
“While govt is making all efforts to spread awareness on health and wellness via advertising about State health programs like AIDS control etc in the public domain, it is also observed that such surrogate advertisements are displayed in the same medium. This approach is contradictory to our aim of safeguarding the health of citizens and controlling the menace of tobacco,” he said.
