The Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control has come up with a people’s manifesto ahead of the upcoming elections in the State stressing that candidates must declare that they ‘do not and will not receive any funds from tobacco industry either directly or indirectly.’
Releasing the manifesto on Friday, S. Cyril Alexander, State convener of the forum, said that today’s candidates could be tomorrow’s policy makers.
Favouring industry
“Decisions taken by them could favour the tobacco industry, and this would go against public health and well-being. We are already witnessing various tactics used by the tobacco industry to attract children. For instance, events in schools are often conducted by them. This must stop,” he said.
Under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, there is ban on direct and indirect advertisement of tobacco products, Mr. Alexander noted.
K.P. Marimuthu, also of the Forum, said the manifesto was being presented to all political parties.
“If we come across any evidence of candidates being funded by the tobacco industry, we will reveal it,” he said.
Mr. Alexander said there were already a few cases of the families of political candidates involved in the tobacco industry, and that the Forum had made a representation to the Election Commission (EC).
“We have requested the EC to provide guidance to political parties not to accept funds from the tobacco industry. However, we have not heard from them. We want to arrange a meeting with EC officials in the near future,” he said.
One of the demands is for the political parties to state clearly what tobacco control measures they will take.
Another is that politicians and political parties must not own tobacco industries, nor should they be distributors or agents of the industry.
They have requested EC to guide parties not to accept funds from tobacco firms
