{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,4]],"date-time":"2026-08-04T09:49:48Z","timestamp":1785836988068,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]],"date-time":"2025-07-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751846400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>India bears the highest global burden of oral cancer, with over 83,400 cases reported in 2022. The widespread use of smokeless tobacco and areca nut, particularly in rural and underserved communities, continues to drive this public health crisis. Despite government regulations and awareness campaigns, tobacco consumption remains high due to cultural acceptance, affordability, and accessibility of products like gutkha and khaini. This review examines the role of celebrity endorsements in tobacco cessation efforts, assessing their influence on public perception and behavior. Bollywood actors and sports icons, who hold immense cultural influence in India, have been leveraged in health campaigns to promote tobacco-free lifestyles. While some celebrity-driven initiatives have successfully raised awareness, surrogate marketing remains a critical challenge. Many celebrities indirectly endorse harmful products like pan masala and mouth fresheners, undermining tobacco control efforts. To counter this, stricter policies are needed to regulate celebrity endorsements, ensuring alignment with public health goals. This review highlights key strategies for maximizing the impact of celebrity-led health campaigns while minimizing the risks posed by surrogate marketing. By fostering sustained celebrity engagement and implementing robust policy measures, India can take significant steps toward reducing smokeless tobacco use and preventing oral cancer.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1531268","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]],"date-time":"2025-07-07T14:18:14Z","timestamp":1751897894000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Leveraging celebrity influence for oral cancer prevention and smokeless tobacco cessation: challenges and opportunities in India"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Saravanan","family":"Sekaran","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dhanraj","family":"Ganapathy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Deepavalli","family":"Arumuganainar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Harini","family":"Arumugasamy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vimalraj","family":"Selvaraj","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Saeed","family":"Alassiri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shahabe Saquib","family":"Abullais","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107063","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oraloncology.2024.107063","article-title":"Burden of oral cancer and associated risk factors at national and state levels: a systematic analysis from the global burden of disease in India, 1990\u20132021","volume":"159","author":"Akashanand","year":"2024","journal-title":"Oral Oncol"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1413","DOI":"10.1016\/S1470-2045(24)00458-3","article-title":"Global burden of oral cancer in 2022 attributable to smokeless tobacco and areca nut consumption: a population attributable fraction analysis","volume":"25","author":"Rumgay","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Oncol"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100388","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oor.2024.100388","article-title":"Areca nut addiction in asia: road to oral cancer","volume":"10","author":"Sudhakaran","year":"2024","journal-title":"Oral Oncol Rep"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100516","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oor.2024.100516","article-title":"Relationship of smokeless tobacco uses in the perspective of oral cancer: a global burden","volume":"10","author":"Noor","year":"2024","journal-title":"Oral Oncol Rep"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.5334\/gh.1267","article-title":"Experiences and beliefs on tobacco use, cessation in India: a qualitative study","volume":"18","author":"Sreedevi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Glob Heart"},{"key":"ref6","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1005103","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1005103","article-title":"Prevalence of smokeless tobacco use in India and its association with occupations: A LASI study","volume":"11","author":"Bharati","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"584","DOI":"10.4103\/ijc.IJC_345_17","article-title":"Education differential in relation to tobacco use and its predictors across different regions of India","volume":"54","author":"Sharma","year":"2017","journal-title":"Indian J Cancer"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1111\/idj.12124","article-title":"Tobacco control: an issue twinned with oral cancer control","volume":"64","author":"Priya","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int Dent J"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-016-0395-1","article-title":"Celebrities\u2019 impact on health-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and status outcomes: protocol for a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis","volume":"6","author":"Hoffman","year":"2017","journal-title":"Syst Rev"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.4103\/0970-2113.44120","article-title":"Smoking and the screen celebrities","volume":"25","author":"Jindal","year":"2008","journal-title":"Lung India"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"801","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.328.7443.801","article-title":"Patterns and distribution of tobacco consumption in India: cross sectional multilevel evidence from the 1998-9 national family health survey","volume":"328","author":"Subramanian","year":"2004","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref13","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref14","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3323","DOI":"10.7314\/APJCP.2013.14.5.3323","article-title":"Burden of smoked and smokeless tobacco consumption in India-results from the global adult tobacco survey India (GATS-India)-2009-2010","volume":"14","author":"Bhawna","year":"2013","journal-title":"Asian Pac J Cancer Prev"},{"key":"ref16","first-page":"300","article-title":"Tobacco use & social status in Kerala","volume":"126","author":"Thankappan","year":"2007","journal-title":"Indian J Med Res"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1110","DOI":"10.5588\/ijtld.12.0916","article-title":"Socio-economic patterning of tobacco use in Indian states","volume":"17","author":"Agrawal","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int J Tuberc Lung Dis"},{"key":"ref18","first-page":"167","article-title":"Tobacco use in a rural area of Bihar, India","volume":"28","author":"Sinha","year":"2003","journal-title":"Indian J Community Med"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.4103\/0973-8258.59740","article-title":"Tobacco use in Indian high-school students","volume":"3","author":"Pal","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int J Green Pharm"},{"key":"ref20","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.4103\/2249-4863.154670","article-title":"Tobacco use, attitudes and cessation practices among healthcare workers of a city health department in Southern India","volume":"4","author":"Mony","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Family Med Prim Care"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2313","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2006.02.013","article-title":"Tobacco use among medical professionals in Kerala, India: the need for enhanced tobacco cessation and control efforts","volume":"31","author":"Mohan","year":"2006","journal-title":"Addict Behav"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"419","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1440-1843.2003.00507.x","article-title":"Smokeless tobacco and health in India and South Asia","volume":"8","author":"Gupta","year":"2003","journal-title":"Respirology"},{"key":"ref24","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref25","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"482","DOI":"10.1136\/tc.2011.043539","article-title":"Tobacco use in Bollywood movies, tobacco promotional activities and their association with tobacco use among Indian adolescents","volume":"21","author":"Arora","year":"2012","journal-title":"Tob Control"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1177\/02537176221123221","article-title":"Tobacco industry and surrogate advertising in South East Asia region: moves and countermoves","volume":"45","author":"Bhatia","year":"2023","journal-title":"Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine"},{"key":"ref28","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref29","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2023060","DOI":"10.29392\/001c.85126","article-title":"Tobacco-related content on social networking sites: evidence from a youth-led campaign in India","volume":"7","author":"Bahl","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Glob Health Rep"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"tc-2024-058632","DOI":"10.1136\/tc-2024-058632","article-title":"ICC\u2019S cricket world cup 2023 and the dirty game of surrogate advertisements of smokeless tobacco","volume":"28","author":"Singh","year":"2024","journal-title":"Tob Control"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"398","DOI":"10.1136\/tc-2022-057348","article-title":"Tobacco promotion restriction policies on social media","author":"Kong","year":"2024","journal-title":"Tob Control"},{"key":"ref33","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_27_18","article-title":"Awareness of anti-tobacco advertisements and its influence on attitude toward tobacco use among 16 to 18-year-old students in Belgaum city: a cross-sectional study","volume":"7","author":"Gadiyar","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Educ Health Promot"},{"key":"ref35","first-page":"867","article-title":"Prohibiting tobacco advertising, promotions & sponsorships: tobacco control best buy","volume":"137","author":"Arora","year":"2013","journal-title":"Indian J Med Res"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.4103\/0970-0218.103470","article-title":"Effect of anti-tobacco audiovisual messages on knowledge and attitude towards tobacco use in North India","volume":"37","author":"Kaur","year":"2012","journal-title":"Indian J Community Med"},{"key":"ref37","author":"Bachchan","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref38","author":"Bachchan","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref39","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref40","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref41","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref42","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref43","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.4103\/2224-3151.206929","article-title":"Initiating tobacco cessation services in India: challenges and opportunities","volume":"1","author":"Varghese","year":"2012","journal-title":"WHO South East Asia J Public Health"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.4103\/ijdr.ijdr_596_23","article-title":"Smokeless tobacco use and quit behaviour assessment in a middle aged to elderly population in a rural setting-an evaluative study","volume":"35","author":"Sharma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Indian J Dent Res"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.4103\/jmhhb.jmhhb_274_24","article-title":"Cessation behavior among smokeless tobacco users in India: a secondary analysis of two rounds of global adult tobacco surveys","volume":"29","author":"Maniyara","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Ment Health Hum Behav"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101366","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cegh.2023.101366","article-title":"Determinants of quit attempts among current Indian tobacco users: findings from global adult tobacco survey, 2016-17","volume":"23","author":"Nair","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clin Epidemiol Glob Health"},{"key":"ref48","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref49","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref50","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1013","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6845a2","article-title":"Tobacco product use and cessation indicators among adults\u2014United States, 2018","volume":"68","author":"Creamer","year":"2019","journal-title":"MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep"},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1366","DOI":"10.1111\/add.16515","article-title":"Behavioural support and nicotine replacement therapy for smokeless tobacco cessation in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan: a pilot randomized controlled trial","volume":"119","author":"Siddiqui","year":"2024","journal-title":"Addiction"},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1201","DOI":"10.1093\/ntr\/ntae056","article-title":"Text message-based cessation intervention for people who smoked or used smokeless tobacco in India: a feasibility randomized controlled trial","volume":"26","author":"Nadkarni","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nicotine Tob Res"},{"key":"ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"CD015314","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD015314.pub2","article-title":"Interventions for smokeless tobacco use cessation","volume":"2025","author":"Livingstone-Banks","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst Rev"},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.1093\/ntr\/ntae182","article-title":"Randomized controlled trial of a text-based smokeless tobacco cessation intervention for rural and medically underserved communities","volume":"27","author":"Noonan","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nicotine Tob Res"},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1277","DOI":"10.31557\/APJCP.2024.25.4.1277","article-title":"Prevalence, reach of anti-smokeless tobacco messages and quit attempts by product type: a secondary data analysis from the global adult tobacco survey (GATS\u20132016-17)","volume":"25","author":"Chatterjee","year":"2024","journal-title":"Asian Pac J Cancer Prev"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1531268\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]],"date-time":"2025-07-07T14:18:15Z","timestamp":1751897895000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1531268\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]]},"references-count":56,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1531268"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1531268","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]]},"article-number":"1531268"}}