India has passed good smoke-free policies: US health expert

Dr Thomas Frieden is one of the most high profile disease detectives of the world, as head of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta in the US he spearheads the response on most global infections like Ebola, swine flu, TB or malaria.
CDC with an annual budget of about USD 7 billion has some of the best expertise in controlling epidemics.
Here are excerpts of an interview:
Q: An area of concern in India is tobacco you have worked extensively on tobacco control pioneering the effort at making bars and restaurants in New York smoke free. Do you think India is doing enough on tobacco control?

A: I don't think any country in the world is doing enough on tobacco control. India still has a significant problem both with Beedis for example that are not regulated, not taxed, sold in small numbers, making poor people very sick. In addition, chewing tobacco is major issue in many parts of the country. India has passed some very good policies on smoke free. However, if you look at the very best performing countries that have been able to save millions of lives through reducing tobacco use they have pack warnings over a large portion of the packs. Have high levels of taxes on all combustible tobacco including things like Beedis and these are things that are unfinished business in India.

Q: Do you think the warnings on the cigarette packs should be off a larger size?

A: It is pretty clear that the countries that have done this have seen steady declines in smoking had an effective pack warning. As also effective paid advertising does discourage people from smoking and help people quit.
Q: Is there a need for a higher tax on tobacco?
A: Increasing the tax on tobacco is the single most effective way to reduce utilisation. Tax on tobacco products is relatively low in India.
Q: You have raised the issue of threats due to use of organisms as bioweapons. Is that a serious threat for the world?

A: We are concerned. Unfortunately it has become easier and easier to make dangerous pathogens and whether by mistake or on purpose something could get out of the laboratory making it much more difficult for us to control. That is something that the WHO is looking at. It is not so much any one pathogen as the system over all that needs to look at what is being done in the laboratory and how to ensure that the laboratory workers themselves are safe and that bioweapons don't present a risk to the community.