tobacco use in Nepal

Both smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco are common practices in Nepal with 28.3% of adults consuming some form of tobacco in Nepal.{{Cite journal |title= Burden of tobacco in Nepal: A systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990–2017|journal= BMJ Open|date=2021 |pmc=8383890 |last1=Shrestha |first1=G. |last2=Phuyal |first2=P. |last3=Gautam |first3=R. |last4=Mulmi |first4=R. |last5=Pradhan |first5=P. M. |volume=11 |issue=8 |pages=e047847 |doi=10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047847 |pmid=34426463 }} Out of smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco is the most common form of tobacco use{{Cite journal |last1=Sinha |first1=D. N. |last2=Bajracharya |first2=B. |last3=Khadka |first3=B. B. |last4=Rinchen |first4=S. |last5=Bhattad |first5=V. B. |last6=Singh |first6=P. K. |date=October 2012 |title=Smokeless tobacco use in Nepal |journal=Indian Journal of Cancer |language=en-US |volume=49 |issue=4 |pages=352–356 |doi=10.4103/0019-509X.107728 |doi-access=free |pmid=23442398 |issn=0019-509X}} Beedi use is also common among Nepalese women.{{Cite journal |title=Smoking and smokeless tobacco use among urban women and men In Nepal |date=2018 |doi=10.18332/tid/84331 |url=https://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/Smoking-and-smokeless-tobacco-use-among-urban-women-and-men-In-Nepal,84331,0,2.html |last1=Bajracharya |first1=Bikesh |journal=Tobacco Induced Diseases |volume=16 |issue=1 |doi-access=free }} The Act against Tobacco was established in 2011, which prohibits the sale of tobacco use to minors and pregnant women.{{Cite web |title=Tobacco Act 2011 |url=https://www.lawcommission.gov.np/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Tobacco-Products-Control-and-Regulatory-Act-2068-2011.pdf}}

48.3% of males and 11.6% of female adults consumed some form of tobacco in 2019.{{Cite web |title=Nepal STEPS survey 2019 |url=https://nhrc.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Tobacco-Fact-Sheet-1.pdf}} Cigarettes are the most common form of tobacco used by both sexes, while adults use less beedi compared to females.{{Cite journal |title=Open health Journal |journal=The Open Public Health Journal |date=15 October 2021 |volume=14 |issue=1 |doi=10.2174/1874944502114010446 |url=https://openpublichealthjournal.com/VOLUME/14/PAGE/446/FULLTEXT/ |last1=Sharma |first1=Pragati |last2=Pahari |first2=Sandip |last3=Acharya |first3=Shiva Raj |last4=Moon |first4=Deog Hwan |last5=Shin |first5=Yong Chul |doi-access=free }} Chewing tobacco is more common than the use of Gutka in Nepal .{{Cite web |title=Smokeless tobacco use in Nepal |url=https://old.mohp.gov.np/downloads/SLT_Nepal.pdf}}

In 2019, 28.9% of adults (aged 15–69 years) used either smoked or smokeless tobacco products.{{Cite journal |last1=Chand |first1=Birendra |last2=Bhusal |first2=Sandesh |last3=Pradhan |first3=Pranil Man Singh |last4=Paudel |first4=Kiran |last5=Adhikari |first5=Nisha |last6=Adhikari |first6=Tara Ballav |last7=Shrestha |first7=Sushan Man |date=2022-07-08 |title=Tobacco Use and Its Associated Factors among Undergraduate Public Health Students in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal |journal=Journal of Environmental and Public Health |language=en |volume=2022 |pages=e1495779 |doi=10.1155/2022/1495779 |doi-access=free |pmid=35844947 |issn=1687-9805|pmc=9286896 }} In the entire population, 17.1% of Nepalese smoked in 2019, with 22% male and 6% female. The average age for initiation of smoking is 17.8 years, with 17.7 for men and 18.4 for female.{{Cite web |title=Review STEPS Survey 2019 |url=https://nepjol.info/index.php/jhp/article/view/50990/38083}}

Smoking is prohibited in public transportation, educational institutions, hospitals, restaurants, government offices, and other public places as per the Tobacco Act 2011.{{Cite web |last=diwakar |date=2021-02-03 |title=Smoking in public places is banned in Nepal, but no one cares about it - OnlineKhabar English News |url=https://english.onlinekhabar.com/smoking-in-public-places-is-banned-in-nepal-but-no-one-cares-about-it.html |access-date=2024-02-24 |language=en-GB}} The sale of cigarettes to minors and pregnant women is a punishable offence in Nepal, along with the act of smoking in the above-mentioned public places.{{Cite web |title=Nepal: Bill on Tobacco Control Adopted by Legislature |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2011-05-09/nepal-bill-on-tobacco-control-adopted-by-legislature/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}} The advertisement of tobacco products is also prohibited.{{Cite web |title=Prohibition on sales and ads of tobacco |url=https://km.mohp.gov.np/sites/default/files/2018-07/Tobacco-Control-Act.pdf}} Recently, the decision to ban the sale of tobacco in Kathmandu Metropolitan City was reverted by Patan High Court.{{Cite web |last=Republica |title=Patan High Court issues interim order against KMC's ban on sale of tobacco products |url=http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/149292/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=My Republica |language=en}}

In 2015, Nepal implemented the world’s largest graphic warning on cigarette packets, which kept around 90% of the area covered with graphics and warning message.{{Cite press release |last=Society |first=Canadian Cancer |title=More than 100 countries and territories require graphic picture warnings on cigarette packages, says international report |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-than-100-countries-and-territories-require-graphic-picture-warnings-on-cigarette-packages-says-international-report-300360256.html |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Nepal Implements World’s Largest Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco… |url=https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/blog/2015_11_09_nepal |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids |language=en}}

Smokers are not selfish anti smoking campaign was initiated by Dr. Om Foundation from February 1-14, 2024, culminating on valentine’s day with aim to make meaningful sacrifices for loved ones by quitting habits of smoking and other tobacco products. In this campaign over 1600 individuals pledged to quit smoking.{{Cite web |last=Republica |title="Smokers Are not Selfish": School children actively engage in anti-smoking campaign |url=http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/151866/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=My Republica |language=en}}

There are 12 officially registered tobacco companies in Nepal. Surya Tobacco Company is the largest cigarette manufacturer in Nepal.{{Cite web |title=Tobacco Industry Nepal |url=https://globaltobaccoindex.org/download/1477}}

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Category:Tobacco in Nepal

Category:Culture of Nepal