The survey found tobacco depicted in 22 per cent of programmes in a sample based on nine hours of programming each of 45 of India's 446 TV channels. But it has also documented poor implementation of the mandated film-and-TV rules to discourage tobacco use. The survey found that only 5 per cent of the sampled TV programmes with tobacco scenes showed one of the two approved anti-tobacco health spots at the start and middle, and none of the TV programmes carried both of the two approved health spots as required. About 48 per cent of the TV programmes carried "unapproved and non-compliant" anti-tobacco health warnings. Tobacco surveys suggest that around 5,500 young people start tobacco in India daily, and some of them are likely to become long-term tobacco users.

Source: The Telegraph February 10, 2017 22:01 UTC