Evaluation of Efficacy of Different Methods of Tobacco Cessation Interventions Among BEST Employees in Mumbai

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of premature adult death globally. It is one of the major causes of death and disease in India, accounting for nearly 0.9 million deaths every year. Bombay Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), one of the biggest public transport undertaking in Mumbai City, has imposed a ban on tobacco use in public transport buses and under Motor Vehicle Act has empowered the drivers and bus conductors to take suitable action against commuters found to be using tobacco. However in addition to commuters using tobacco in the BEST premises, large number of bus drivers and conductors are known to use tobacco on the job. There are various approaches to a tobacco cessation programme, like behavioural therapy, pharmacotherapy, providing self help material, telephone counseling, quit lines etc. Hence in terms of the workplace environment, understanding the factors leading to tobacco use maintenance and the effective approaches for cessation is of critical importance for formulating workplace tobacco prevention and cessation interventions that are applicable to transport work employee settings. The success of these methods needs to be comparatively evaluated among the different forms of tobacco users. Hence, the present study will be undertaken with the following objectives: