Father and Son's Conversation #Father&Sondiscussion #1

Why Are Harmful Products Like Pan Masala Advertised? 

A Conversation with My Son Neel 

My son and I often take short trips within or outside the city. During these drives, we frequently come across advertising hoardings for Pan Masala (tobacco) featuring famous celebrities. What's puzzling, especially for my 10-year-old son, is the statutory warning behind the hoardings that says: "Pan Masala is injurious to health." This contradiction is tough to explain, but I’ve tried answering it in a couple of ways. Here's how I explained it to him, hoping it makes sense.

In India, pan masala is a product some people have used for many years. It's especially common in certain parts of the country, including Assam. Historically, some communities have chewed things like pan masala or tobacco, which is why businesses advertise them. These companies want to sell their products to people who are used to consuming them. Even though we now know that Pan Masala is harmful to health—causing issues like cancer—changing long-standing habits in people can be very difficult. That’s why companies still promote it, even if it’s bad for health.

Now, another part of the problem is related to the government. The Indian government, including in states like Assam, earns a lot of money (called revenue) by taxing products like Pan Masala and tobacco. But here’s the tricky part: while the government gets money from selling these products, it also has to spend a lot of money treating diseases caused by them, like cancer and heart problems. So, while they make money from taxes, they also spend a lot on healthcare for people who get sick from these products.

The government does try to warn people, which is why you saw the health warning behind the hoarding. They want people to know that these products are harmful, even though they are still legally sold. 

Many countries, including India, are trying to reduce the use of these products by educating people, making it difficult to advertise, and even banning certain types of tobacco. It’s a balance that’s difficult to manage, but more and more people are understanding the dangers now. People are realizing that these products are not only harmful to their health, but are also harmful to the environment. As a result, more and more people are choosing to switch to healthier alternatives.