India aims to cut tobacco use by 30% in 2025, with the national quitline playing a key role. Its widespread presence ensures every call and counselling session supports this mission.
Published Jul 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Printed on packets, played in theatres, answered on call: Inside India’s tobacco quitline (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: Across India, anti-tobacco messages are everywhere—from schools to cinemas—featuring the National Tobacco Quit Line (1800 112 356). Some films now use lead actors’ voices to deliver these messages. While often seen as symbolic, the helpline is real and functional, offering trained staff and follow-up support for those trying to quit tobacco, turning awareness into accessible, actionable help
Across India, reminders to stay away from tobacco are everywhere. From schools and hospitals to movie theatres and gyms, posters and banners prominently display the National Tobacco Quit Line Services (NTQLS) toll‑free number 1800 112 356. Every film begins with a mandatory anti‑tobacco advertisement.
In recent times some films have started to use the voice of the lead actor to deliver this message, making it more engaging and ensuring it reaches every viewer before the movie starts. The helpline number is positioned as a free and direct line of help for anyone looking to quit tobacco products like cigarettes, beedis, gutka or paan.
But how far does this promise go? In reality, these helplines are not just symbolic messages on a screen or a packet. The numbers are active, they connect to trained staff, and they actually offer support to people who want to quit tobacco. Behind every announcement in theatres and every printed line on a tobacco product, there is a working system ready to guide and follow up with callers who seek help.
However, this helpline is not available round the clock. It operates between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. every day, and Mondays are off days. Anyone who calls after 8 p.m. or at any time on a Monday will hear an auto‑generated message informing them about the working hours and the weekly holiday before the call disconnects.
Before reaching a helpline employee, callers are first guided through an automated menu. The system asks them to choose a language from six options: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and English, by pressing the respective numbers for each language. Once the language is selected, the call is then routed to the support team.
A helpline employee explained to South first that this toll free number is connected to central government hospitals. She said, “We provide telephonic counselling for those who want to quit tobacco like beedi, cigarette, paan, gutka and other products.”
Before counselling begins, callers are asked a set of questions to assess their level of dependence on tobacco. After that, the support continues for months, she explained. “After counselling we will be following up for one year, calling 8 to 10 times, like weekly once, monthly once, then in the third month, sixth month, ninth month and at one year,” according to the helpline employee.
The service, she made clear, is completely free and callers are not charged anything. The only condition is to call from a personal number so that follow‑up calls can be made easily. “The number displayed when you call will be registered in our system so that we can save the information and contact you again,” she explained.
She mentioned that the number itself is widely publicised. People see it printed on cigarette and beedi packets or other tobacco products and can reach out whenever they wish to quit. She stressed that no additional contact is provided after the call because “we ourselves will be doing the counselling and follow‑up.”
India is on its mission to reduce tobacco use by 30 per cent in this year, 2025, and the national quitline stands as a crucial element of that effort. Every call, follow‑up and counselling session contributes to this national goal, with the helpline’s presence in schools, hospitals and theatres reflecting how deeply the message has been integrated into public spaces.
Far from being merely symbolic, these services demonstrate that behind every warning lies a functioning support system driving the country toward a healthier future.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
