The Director General of Health Services, Atul Goel, has sent a letter to IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal, asking a ban on tobacco and alcohol advertisements during cricket matches and related events, including national TV broadcasts. The letter, dated 5th March, also reached out to the BCCI, asking them to discourage cricketers from endorsing these products, whether directly or indirectly as reported by Bloomberg. This might lead to the ban of tobacco and alcohol surrogate ads in the IPL 2025. However, no decision has been taken yet by anyone.
No sales of tobacco at cricket Events
Goel’s letter also suggests stopping the sale of tobacco and alcohol products at all cricket-related events. This comes as India faces a huge burden from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for over 70% of deaths each year. The letter underlines that tobacco and alcohol consumption are substantial risk factors for these diseases, with India ranking second in the world for tobacco-related deaths.
The letter also stresses that cricket players are role models for many young fans. Since the IPL is the biggest sports event in the country, it has a social and moral responsibility to promote public health and cooperate with government health campaigns.
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Government’s anti-tobacco efforts
Last year, the government proposed new rules to strengthen anti-tobacco messages on online platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. These regulations will require non-skippable health warnings to appear at the start and middle of any content that shows tobacco use. This move is part of the government’s broader campaign against tobacco
