Kathmandu—Health Secretary Dr. Bikash Devkota has stressed the need to explore creative alternatives to scenes depicting tobacco use in Nepali films. Speaking at an interaction program in Kathmandu, he highlighted the increasing consumption of tobacco products among Nepali youth, calling it a growing public health concern.

“About 20 percent of Nepal’s population consumes tobacco products, and the number is rising, particularly among youth,” said Dr. Devkota. He attributed the rise to social media influence and peer pressure, underscoring the role of popular culture, including films and music videos, in shaping young minds.

“Artists are influential across all age groups. A single scene in a movie can leave a lasting impact. We still remember iconic styles from the past because of how deeply cinema shapes our perceptions,” he said, referring to how people mimic characters like Rajesh Hamal. “It is high time we replace tobacco scenes in movies with symbolic and culturally authentic alternatives that the world can look up to.”

Dr. Devkota further emphasized that while concerns are sometimes raised about employment and revenue from tobacco industries, the health costs far outweigh any short-term benefits. He pointed out that diseases caused by tobacco use—such as cancer and tuberculosis—place a heavy burden on Nepal’s economy and health system. “We still haven’t been able to bring all TB patients under treatment coverage. The growing number of cancer patients is also partly linked to tobacco use,” he added.

Citing existing legislation, he noted that at least 25 percent of the revenue generated from tobacco taxation—around NPR 7 billion annually—must be allocated for tobacco control and related health services. However, only about NPR 400 million is currently being used for this purpose, which he said is a violation of the law.

“The Ministry of Health is fully supportive of any initiative aimed at reducing tobacco use,” he concluded.