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AFTC backs Tobacco Control Bill ban on advertising
MUMBAI: The Tobacco Control Bill, due to be tabled in the parliament shortly by the union minister of parliamentary affairs, health and family welfare Sushma Swaraj, has received a boost.
The Advocacy Forum for Tobacco Control (AFTC) has been formed to support the government as it presents the bill. The forum consists of a coalition of health professionals, research scientists, NGOs and like-minded people from organisations like the Cancer Patients Aid Association, Consumer Education and Research Centre, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
The Bill seeks to put a total ban on advertising of tobacco products and prohibits sponsorship of sports and cultural events either directly or indirectly. It also prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors, and specifies that the new warning on cigarette packs should be more prominent in terms of liability, language, colour and display. The Bill proposes that the nicotine and tar content will have to be specified on packs. Goods without specified warnings on nicotine and tar will be confiscated and penalties will be levied.
Last March, delegates to the World Health Organisation (WHO) agreed upon the wording of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the world’s first anti-tobacco treaty. The Indian Tobacco Control Bill has many provisions similar to FCTC; and if made into an Act, will establish India as the pioneer nation to conform to WHO standards regarding tobacco.
WHO projections state that by 2030, tobacco will be the leading cause of death, claiming 10 million lives a year. The proportion of tobacco-related deaths that occur in developing countries is expected to increase from the current 50 per cent of global tobacco related deaths to 70 per cent for the same period. The incidence could be higher in India, with one billion cigarettes currently being smoked everyday.
It wouldn’t be surprising if tobacco related deaths, which currently number 800,000-900,000 per year, rise three to four-fold over the next 30 years. Heart diseases, cancers and chronic respiratory ailments are among the principal causes of death due to tobacco which is a cause of more than 25 diseases. Recent research from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) reveals that there are 700,000-900,000 cancer cases in India per year, with an estimated 250,000 cases being tobacco related.
Tobacco farming is not just socially undesirable but also economically unfavourable. While the total excise from tobacco in India was Rs 69.34 billion in 1999-2000, the estimated health costs as a result of tobacco consumption was over Rs 270 billion during this period.
MAM
Budweiser launches ‘Let It Pour’ platform for FIFA World Cup 2026
Campaign spans 40 plus markets with fan events, merchandise and global film.
MUMBAI: When the whistle blows, Budweiser wants the celebrations to flow just as freely. The beer brand has unveiled ‘Let It Pour’, its global football platform for the FIFA World Cup 2026, kicking off a four-year build-up with a campaign designed to turn fandom into a shared, full-throttle experience. Rolling out across more than 40 countries, including India, the initiative blends on-ground activations, merchandise and a star-led global film to capture the emotional surge of the sport’s biggest stage.
At the centre of the campaign are football heavyweights Erling Haaland and Jürgen Klopp, who front the messaging around passion, performance and collective celebration. For Haaland, set to make his FIFA World Cup debut in 2026, the platform mirrors the intensity of a moment he has long worked towards, while Klopp lends his signature energy to amplify the spirit of fans coming together.
The campaign’s global film leans into that shared emotion where matches spill beyond stadiums into homes, bars and city streets over the tournament’s 39-day run. Set to Joe Cocker’s Feelin’ Alright, it captures how football blurs boundaries, turning strangers into teammates and moments into memories.
Beyond storytelling, Budweiser is building a broader ecosystem around the campaign. The Bud Fan Store will offer exclusive tournament-inspired merchandise, from football kits to branded apparel, while Bud FC developed with Wink will host experiential fan events across select markets, recreating stadium-like energy in festival settings.
India forms a key part of this push. With football fandom on the rise, particularly among younger audiences, Budweiser 0.0 is positioned to anchor local activations, bringing fans closer to the global spectacle through community-led experiences.
The move reinforces Budweiser’s four-decade association with the FIFA World Cup, but also signals an evolution in approach. Instead of simply sponsoring the game, the brand is leaning into culture creating multiple touchpoints where fans can participate, not just watch.
In a tournament where every goal sparks a reaction, Budweiser is betting that the real win lies in how loudly and how collectively that reaction pours out.
