Knowledge, attitude and practices on anti-tobacco measures imposed under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act among adult males in rural areas of Tamil Nadu, India

Assessment of knowledge and attitude of adult men towards anti-tobacco measures will help us further in strengthening of regulatory activities and thereby reducing the prevalence of tobacco use. The objective of the present study was i) to assess the knowledge of men towards anti-tobacco measures imposed under Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 and its association with their socio-demographic factors; and ii) to study the attitudes and practice of men towards anti-tobacco measures imposed under COTPA 2003. A cross-sectional study was done among 714 males aged 18 years and above in Vadagarai village of Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu and interviewed with pretested questionnaire. The study was done during March to September 2009. Majority of them were aware and favoring the act, i.e. 96.2% of the study population were aware of the COTPA 2003 and 95.24% were favoring the act. Most of them felt that anti-tobacco measures did not have any impact among tobacco users. Preventive steps like behavioral change communication, fiscal measures and further more strong enforcement of the act will be needed to decrease the prevalence further.