Health Ministry urges IPL to ban all forms of tobacco & alcohol ads

Union Health Ministry has urged the Indian Premier League (IPL) to ban all forms of tobacco and alcohol advertising, including surrogate promotions, within stadium premises during matches and throughout televised broadcasts on national channels. The appeal comes ahead of the upcoming IPL season, set to begin on March 22.

In a letter addressed to IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) also called for the prohibition of tobacco and alcohol sales at all IPL-affiliated events and sports facilities.

The letter emphasised the need to discourage sportspersons, including commentators, from directly or indirectly endorsing products associated with alcohol or tobacco.

Marked to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the letter highlighted the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in India, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and hypertension, which account for over 70% of annual deaths in the country.

"Tobacco and alcohol use are key risk factors for NCDs. We rank second in tobacco-related deaths worldwide, with nearly 1.4 million annual deaths, while alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians," the letter stated.

Given that the IPL is India's most-watched sporting event, the letter underlined that any direct or indirect promotion of tobacco or alcohol through sports sends mixed signals about health and fitness to the public.

"The IPL, being the largest sports platform in the country, has a social and moral obligation to promote public health and support the government’s health initiatives," the letter added.

The Health Ministry has called for the strict enforcement of regulations, including a ban on all tobacco and alcohol advertising, both direct and surrogate, within stadiums and during televised matches, as well as the sale of such products at associated events and venues.