NOTE (India)

NOTE (India) stands for National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication

History

NOTE (India) is a National federation of 20 Non-Governmental Organisations that came together during a meeting in Goa, India in 1992 under the leadership of Dr Sharad Vaidya, who was the National Chairman from 1992 until his death in 2000. Currently it is chaired by Dr Shekhar Salkar.

NOTE has Chapters in 7 states namely Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Goa with headquarters in Goa. There are collaborating institutions and individuals in all States.

Aims and Objects

1. Networking and co-ordinating campaigns of various institutions and NGOs. 2. Exerting pressure on the Government for policy changes 3. Exposing and attacking the tobacco companies 4. Research into various aspects of campaigns and policies at national level. 5. Interaction with international bodies like WHO, UICC, World Bank, American Cancer Society etc. for mobilising international opinion towards a tobacco-free world.

Activities

NOTE's campaign is built on solid information about tobacco and its effects on health. NOTE analyses and assesses public policy, publications, journals, official reports, medical research and the media. It makes this information available to members and collaborators.

Several research papers have been published under the auspices of NOTE e.g., in BMJ^[1], Lancet ^[2], NEJM ^[3] .and JIMA ^[4]

NOTE produces a range of campaigning materials including video cassettes, audio cassettes, flip charts, booklets, posters and stickers. Through its activities NOTE India was able to bring about a change in the perception about tobacco in the general population and in 1997 the first anti-tobacco law was passed in Goa.^[5]The Goa Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting Act, 1997 (Goa Act 5 of 1999) Over the next 10 years the morbidity and mortality from tobacco related diseases reduced significantly.

Member Organisations of NOTE (India)

1. Goa Cancer Society, Goa, NOTE (India) 2. Cancer Care Trust and Research Foundation, Indore 3. WHO Collaborating Center for Oral Cancer, Mumbai 4. Regional Cancer Center, Thiruvanthapuram 5. Consumer Education and Research Center, Ahmedabad 6. Tambakhu Mukti Andolan, Cuttack 7. NOTE India , Karnataka Chapter, Bangalore Institute of Oncology, Bangalore 8. Indian Dental Association Indore Branch 9. NOTE India, Uttar Pradesh Chapter, Lucknow 10. NOTE India, Andhra Pradesh Chapter, Hyderabad 11. Center for Labour Education and Social Research, Bilaspur, Madhya Pradesh. 12. P.N. Institute of Medical Sciences, Himmatnagar, Gujarat 13. Dr. B. Barooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati, Assam 14. Non-Smokers Association, Ranchi, Bihar 15. Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital, & Research Center, Bhopal 16. Voluntary Health Association of India, New Delhi 17. M.E.S. College, Zuarinagar, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 18. NOTE India, Bihar Chapter, Patna

References

1. ^ Vaidya SG, Naik UD and Vaidya JS. Effect of sports sponsorship by tobacco companies on children's experimentation with tobacco. BMJ. 1996 Aug 17;313(7054):400.
2. ^ Vaidya SG, Vaidya JS, Tobacco sponsorship of Formula One motor racing. Lancet. 1998 Feb 7;351(9100):452.
3. ^ Vaidya JS, Vaidya SG, The tobacco settlement. N Engl J Med. 1998 Mar 5;338(10):690-1.
4. ^ Vaidya SG, Vaidya JS, Naik UD. Sports sponsorship by cigarette companies influences the adolescent children's mind and helps initiate smoking: results of a national study in India. J Indian Med Assoc. 1999 Sep;97(9):354-6, 359.
5. ^ The Goa Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting Act, 1997 (Goa Act 5 of 1999)[1]