India has emerged as a global leader in tobacco control, according to the latest WHO Global Tobacco Epidemic Report 2025, released on June 23. The country has been ranked top in two key areas: support for quitting tobacco and warning labels on tobacco products.The country achieved the highest ranking in two crucial MPOWER categories — offering help to quit (O) and warning about the dangers (W).
Dr. Vinayak Mohan Prasad, head of the Global Tobacco Control Programme at WHO Geneva, said,
“India has achieved the highest status in O and W categories — offering help to quit tobacco use and warning labels. Health warnings on cigarette packs are among the largest in the world at 85 per cent. Only 10 countries have a larger graphic health warning.”
India also ranks in the second-highest tier for monitoring and mass media campaigns (M), showing consistent progress across several fronts. However, Dr. Prasad cautioned that tobacco usage in India is still higher than the global average:
“The latest National Family Health Survey (2021) shows 38 per cent of men and 9 per cent of women in India are current users of tobacco. The global average in 2021 was 35 per cent among men and 8 per cent among women.”
What is MPOWER?
The WHO uses a framework called MPOWER to evaluate countries on tobacco control. It stands for:
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Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
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Protect people from tobacco smoke
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Offer help to quit
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Warn about the dangers
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Enforce bans on advertising
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Raise taxes on tobacco
India has achieved the highest level in “O” (offer help to quit) and “W” (warn about the dangers), and ranks second-best in “M” (monitoring) and mass media campaigns.
Big Warnings, Big Impact
One of India’s strongest measures is the large graphic health warnings covering 85% of tobacco product packaging—among the largest in the world. Dr. Vinayak Mohan Prasad of WHO Geneva said, “Only 10 countries have larger warnings than India.”
Smoking is banned in all indoor public places in India, and advertising is completely prohibited across platforms—TV, print, radio, and online.
India’s Bold OTT Step
In a landmark move, India became the first country in May 2023 to regulate OTT platforms for tobacco content. Under the new rules:
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A 30-second anti-smoking message is shown at the beginning and middle of episodes.
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A static on-screen warning is visible when characters smoke.
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Audio-visual disclaimers appear in the same language as the content.
Areas Needing Improvement
While India is ahead in many areas, the WHO report notes a few gaps:
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Tobacco taxes are still low: Only 15% of Indians are protected by high tobacco taxes. Raising prices is one of the most effective ways to reduce consumption.
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Point-of-sale advertising is still allowed and continues to be a problem.
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Enforcement of laws, especially against smokeless tobacco, remains weak in rural areas.
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Only 33% globally have access to cost-covered quitting services; India needs to boost public health support.
Changing Mindsets
India’s approach blends strict laws with cultural values. Campaigns in schools, rising youth awareness, and online messaging are shifting public perception. Smoking is increasingly being seen not as rebellious, but as a threat to health.
India may still have challenges to tackle, but when it comes to tobacco warnings and helping people quit, the country is firmly at the front of the global fight.
