The Union Health Ministry is planning to ask the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to stop displaying hoardings that feature smokeless tobacco advertisements, particularly surrogate ads by gutka manufacturers endorsed by Bollywood celebrities and former cricketers, in stadiums.
In the latest surrogate advertisements, public figures were shown promoting ‘elaichi’ mouth fresheners manufactured by smokeless tobacco product makers, reports stated.
The reports highlighted that the Union Health Ministry is planning to ask the BCCI to stop showing the smokeless tobacco advertisements, particularly the surrogate ads for ‘gutka’ endorsed by Bollywood celebrities, in cricket grounds.
During popular tournaments like the IPL, several cricket grounds prominently feature advertisements for smokeless tobacco products, including Gutka. So, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), operating under the health ministry’s authority, will ask the cricketing body to stop broadcasting surrogate advertisements that promote tobacco products.
