.... moving towards a tobacco free india

"Tobacco Free India Coalition" is a non-profit group of 'Civil Society Organisations' working on the issue of preventing death, disease and damages caused by tobacco use and abuse. Any organisation or individual who;

[1] believes in the objectives of TFI Coalition
[2] believes in the necessity to "Phase-out" tobacco
[3] believes that there is an urgent need to 'control and end' the harmful consequences resulting from tobacco use, and;
[4] is not associated with any tobacco corporate/ agency/ establishment or its affilate/subsidary in any manner, or hold any shares/ financial interest (whether directly or indirectly) of any company/ entity engaged in business/activities related to tobacco products;

can become member(s) of TFI Coalition. There is no membership fee to join TFI Coalition.

Some of the specific objectives for which TFI Coalition has been formed are;

i. To develop, set-up and encourage formation of a national and international coalition of organizations, associations (AoP), NGO's, and other person working or likely to work on the issue of public health, social improvement, tobacco control and complete eradication of harmful substance like tobacco.

ii. To provide all the necessary motivation, resources and the necessary capacity to the network of organizations, associations (AoP), NGO's, and other person with an objective of improvement of public health, social conditions and to encourage and do all what may be necessary within the constitutional framework to end tobacco as a legal consumer product.

iii. To form, encourage and set-up a network of persons, organizations, associations (AoP), NGO's to use the legal-framework, the independent judiciary and the democratic options to seek legal redress and to achieve the objectives of the trust.

iv. To set up a national resource centre, an online resource and facilitation centre, a national tobacco control coordination centre, an online and offline tobacco cessation service centre, etc. to facilitate action and research on tobacco control, tobacco cessation, public health and to find options and facilitate tobacco eradication.

vi. To motivate Central / Federal, State and Local Governments to adopt better strategies for improvement of public health, controlling and eradication of tobacco, enforce the existing legislation, develop new strategies and options for better tobacco control and tobacco eradication and bring transparency in its operation by cutting corruption and freely sharing information with its citizens.

vii. To establish, maintain and run online resources on public health, tobacco, consumer issues and governance and reduce the information gap between the general public and the experts.

viii. To launch campaigns to generate public opinion on eradication of tobacco, for financial support to tobacco traders and farmers who shift to other commercial activities, and for subsidizing and/or providing financial security to the tobacco farmers who opt to plant other crops in place of tobacco.

ix. To promote the replacement of tobacco cultivation by other crop cultivation and to find and promote such crop swapping practices among the farming community and various government and non-government agencies.

x. To catalyze, encourage and facilitate multidisciplinary research, involving the issues faced by the general public, the farmers, the traders, consumers, other stake holders and the society in general with respect to tobacco, public health and the related social and economic aspects.

xi. To assist in the development of the concept technology tools and methods required for emerging areas of research, product testing, quality control, tobacco cessation, educational kits and economic modelling.

xii. To investigate the logic methodology, socio economic and legal theory of public health, tobacco use, tobacco cultivation aspects and consumer rights especially in the context of the constitutional guidelines, the legislative directions, global treaties and agreements, contemporary judgments of courts and related legislature.

xiii. To foster inquiry and awareness concerning health and tobacco use and to focus on both the supply side and demand side aspects of tobacco control.

xiv. To enable the poor and disadvantaged to acquire and continuously update their abilities and knowledge on all maters related to tobacco.

xv. To stimulate critical engagement of technology to disseminate information critical or relevant to citizens, consumer and all persons.

xvi. To promote studies on all health issues, cancer research, farming issues and consumer issues of relevance to the society and to promote best practices.

'TFI Coalition' became a reality as a result of the vision and efforts of one of the leading social activists (And a prominent tobacco-control worker) Hemant Goswami. While elobrating about the reasons and need for creating 'Tobacco Free india Coalition,' Hemant summarised his thoughts in the following words;

"There is a need to take tobacco control to the villages and smaller towns. Organisations and people must be supported and made aware about the devastation tobacco is causing. There are 626 Districts in India housing 1.2 billion people, but unfortuntely, since the last 15 years, all tobacco control activities are limited only to big metropolitians like Delhi and Mumbai and nothing has reached the common man. In the politics (Prevalent at the top), the message to work for phasing-out tobacco has been lost. The real ground level organisations and workers (who work because of their enthusiasm and conviction) have been sacrificed for (and by) the well paid 'career tobacco control professionals.'

A handful of organisations and less than a score of (english speaking) people have access to resources and support of the Government, WHO and International organisations on tobacco control. Even though billions of rupees have been spent on tobacco control still the Government and WHO - India has failed to motivate and encourage atleast one organisation (or even individual) from each of these 626 districts to partner in tobacco control efforts. Most of what appears in tobacco control is cosmetic and the annual reports of the Government and these agencies are glossed with lies and deceit. 

Unfortunately some of the international organisations (who appear to be working on tobacco control) too come with their own unknown agenda. Instead of encouraging innovation of action and thought, the Government bodies and some other associated agencies actually try to restrict and limit the activities of civil society, discourage 'freedom of speech' and 'innovation in actions.' Possibility of backlash, (Such as - stopping/ preventing future financial support [even from public funds] for expressing one's opinion; ensuring that such person/ organisations are not invited to activities and events; spreading rumors about them; etc.)  actually hinders the rights of the people to critically evaluate (and publicly share) their functioning. As a result, all resources in tobacco control continue to be controlled and expended by a small group of people and wasted by the Government agencies. This actually helps (and have helped in the past) the tobacco industry.

We have to reach the masses and multiply the number of people and organisations working on tobacco. Those who are doing real good work (at the ground level) must be encouraged, guided and motivated. TFI Coalition will achieve this objective. 

TFI Coalition would like the people and organisations working with TFIC to maintain their independent identity and have full freedom of thought, speech and expression.  Infact tobacco control can only progress if the partners and stakeholders can express their views fearlessly; try new strategies and policy initiatives; take new and innovative legal and other actions; and move in a direction very different from the (failed/ not so successful) conventional activities. TFI Coalition intends to encourage such an environment for eradicating and phasing-out tobacco. We also intend to perform an oversight role within tobacco control."

"Tobacco Free India Coalition"  was visualised in 2005 but it took formal legal shape in the year 2008. Since TFI Coalition did not get any support from the Government or any other national/International funding agency to start its operations, so it has taken a little longer (than it would have taken otherwise) for TFIC to start and initiate its operations. However this is a small price to pay for for the independence of TFI Coalition and freedom from any narrow agenda. If you would like to support TFIC, we would be happy to receive any offer of support in cash or kind, provided the same is free from any tobacco industry affilation as-well-as any kind of restrictions or conditions.

Currently "Tobacco Free India Coalition" operates from Chandigarh. You can reach TFIC by clicking the Contact TFIC  link or at the following postal address;

Tobacco Free India Coalition
GPO Box 137, Sector 17,
Chandigarh - 160 017