Health Ministry Urges IPL to Ban Direct and Indirect Commercials Promoting Alcohol and Tobacco

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) has demanded the Indian Premier League (IPL) put a full stop to any type of advertisements related to tobacco or alcohol in future events. In a letter dated March 5, Prof. (Dr.) Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services, requested Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairperson, IPL, to formulate rules regarding tobacco and alcohol advertisements, e.g. surrogate ads and sales, in the coming season of cricket, which commences on March 22.

The ban would include both premises and live telecasts on television. Goel stated that as the most viewed sports event in the country, tobacco and alcohol should not be combined with the IPL, especially considering the contrary message that such an association sends about health and fitness. Tobacco and alcohol, are major contributors to the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in the country.

Health Ministry requests IPL ban on alcohol and tobacco commercials:

This letter also emphasized the importance of shielding young people from the harmful influences of tobacco and alcohol. Goel maintained that sportsmen are role models for youngsters and that any promotion of tobacco or alcohol-based products could act negatively upon young minds.

Instead, it is important that players promote a healthy and active lifestyle. In the letter, he called upon the IPL authorities to “strictly implement” regulations prohibiting all forms of advertisement for tobacco and alcohol, surrogate ads included, within stadiums and during telecast sessions on national television.

In all associated events, the sale of tobacco and alcohol must also be regulated, besides the venues. Unfortunately, it is also necessary to discourage the promotion of the athletes, including commentators, who endorse either directly or indirectly alcohol or tobacco products. Goel enunciated that IPL shares “social and moral obligation to promote public health and support health initiatives of the government.”

The banning of all advertisements related to tobacco and alcohol by IPL will facilitate the propagation of a healthy, positive message to its vast audience base, more so, the youth. This will also contribute significantly in ameliorating the problem of consumption of tobacco and alcohol among people and thereby assist in the well-being of India.