National Ban on Sale of Single Cigarette Sticks
National Ban on Sale of Single Cigarette Sticks
The Issue
Who is impacted?
The widespread sale of single cigarette sticks in India harms people across all income and age groups. Their low price encourages frequent and impulsive consumption - not only among low-income individuals but also among students and working professionals. These sticks are sold without packaging, bypassing mandatory graphic health warnings, and are available not just at cigarette shops but at tea stalls, paan shops, and kirana stores across the country. This easy accessibility and invisibility of risks are fuelling addiction. Moreover, millions of non-smokers - especially women, children, and the elderly - are involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke at home, at work, and in public spaces, placing them at risk of serious disease.
What is at stake?
Tobacco use is a public health epidemic in India. It causes over 13 lakh deaths annually - that’s nearly 3,600 deaths every day, or 3 every minute. This burden extends far beyond personal health. Tobacco-related diseases result in enormous out-of-pocket expenses that push families into poverty and drain national resources. The economic cost of tobacco use in India exceeds ₹1.8 lakh crore each year, affecting productivity, healthcare systems, and development. Yet, the continued sale of single sticks keeps tobacco easily accessible and falsely benign. In contrast, 88 countries have already banned the sale of single sticks - and it’s time for India to follow suit.
Why is now the time to act?
Despite existing regulations, tobacco - whether as single sticks or full packs - remains highly affordable and widely available, making it easy to start and hard to quit. With rising rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other tobacco-related illnesses, India cannot afford to delay action. A nationwide ban on the sale of single cigarette sticks will reduce initiation, make quitting easier, restore the impact of warning labels, and prevent countless avoidable deaths. We urge the Government of India to take decisive action now - to save lives, reduce economic strain, and protect the nation’s health.
40
The Issue
Who is impacted?
The widespread sale of single cigarette sticks in India harms people across all income and age groups. Their low price encourages frequent and impulsive consumption - not only among low-income individuals but also among students and working professionals. These sticks are sold without packaging, bypassing mandatory graphic health warnings, and are available not just at cigarette shops but at tea stalls, paan shops, and kirana stores across the country. This easy accessibility and invisibility of risks are fuelling addiction. Moreover, millions of non-smokers - especially women, children, and the elderly - are involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke at home, at work, and in public spaces, placing them at risk of serious disease.
What is at stake?
Tobacco use is a public health epidemic in India. It causes over 13 lakh deaths annually - that’s nearly 3,600 deaths every day, or 3 every minute. This burden extends far beyond personal health. Tobacco-related diseases result in enormous out-of-pocket expenses that push families into poverty and drain national resources. The economic cost of tobacco use in India exceeds ₹1.8 lakh crore each year, affecting productivity, healthcare systems, and development. Yet, the continued sale of single sticks keeps tobacco easily accessible and falsely benign. In contrast, 88 countries have already banned the sale of single sticks - and it’s time for India to follow suit.
Why is now the time to act?
Despite existing regulations, tobacco - whether as single sticks or full packs - remains highly affordable and widely available, making it easy to start and hard to quit. With rising rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other tobacco-related illnesses, India cannot afford to delay action. A nationwide ban on the sale of single cigarette sticks will reduce initiation, make quitting easier, restore the impact of warning labels, and prevent countless avoidable deaths. We urge the Government of India to take decisive action now - to save lives, reduce economic strain, and protect the nation’s health.
40
Petition created on 2 June 2025