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As a step to enhance public health, the Union Health Ministry has asked the Indian Premier League (IPL) to prohibit all advertising of tobacco and alcohol including surrogate promotions during matches and telecast periods. The appeal has been made before the IPL season, which is to commence on March 22, 2025.
The Health Ministry in a letter signed by Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Atul Goel, highlighted that the IPL is one of India’s most viewed sporting events that has a moral responsibility to discourage promotions that can adversely affect public health.
The letter also urged the ban on the sale of tobacco and alcohol products at IPL matches and related sports complexes.
Additionally the ministry emphasized avoiding any indirect or direct endorsements by sports persons or commentators for alcoholic beverages or tobacco product related products. The letter pointed out that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes account for over 70% of deaths in India each year with tobacco and alcohol being the major reasons for that.
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The Health Ministry is concerned due to the heavy burden of tobacco and alcohol use with India being the second largest in tobacco deaths in the world. In August 2024, the DGHS had written a similar letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asking them to discourage surrogate advertisements by cricketers. The IPL, as the biggest sports platform in India is called upon to take measures to encourage healthier lifestyles and to support government health campaigns.
