The Red Stain Problem
KEYWORD
Mishika Gupta, Jatin Verma, Neha Mandlik
National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India
ABSTRACT
The Red Stain Problem explores smokeless tobacco consumption and public spitting in Ahmedabad as an interconnected system shaped by social imitation, dependency, cultural habits, public infrastructure and enforcement. Red stains on shared surfaces make these relationships visible, revealing consequences for sanitation workers and people using public spaces. The giga map identifies early exposure, normalisation and the urgency to spit as leverage points, informing a three-tier intervention framework addressing prevention, support for existing users and public-space disposal.
#smokeless tobacco use #public spitting #behavioural change
#gigamapping #public health
CREATIVE PROCESS
Literature review, field observations and interviews with users, retailers, sanitation workers, NGO representatives and health professionals informed giga mapping, behavioural mapping and stakeholder synthesis. A participatory workshop with 35 children in Kochrab Gaam combined discussion, tobacco-expenditure exercises, packaging redesign and letters to the Prime Minister. Comics and activity booklets supported further conversation. A spittoon-dustbin prototype was explored in public spaces to observe user responses and identify practical disposal and maintenance requirements.
IMPLICATIONS AND NEXT STEPS
The workshop elicited immediate emotional engagement and critical reflection, but sustained behavioural change was not established. Prototype trials revealed hesitation linked to unfamiliarity and stigma, highlighting the need for clear, non-stigmatising communication. Further development must address visibility, splash control, waste separation, safe emptying, cleaning and material suitability. Longitudinal workshop follow-up and repeated trials with users and sanitation workers are needed to assess retention, actual use, adoption and the burden of maintenance.
References
National Cancer Institute. (2010). Smokeless tobacco and cancer.
Thakur, J. S., Prinja, S., Bhatnagar, N., Rana, S. K., Sinha, D. N., & Singh, P. K. (2015). Widespread inequalities in smoking & smokeless tobacco consumption across wealth quintiles in states of India: Need for targeted interventions. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 141(6), 789–798. https://doi.org/10.4103/0971-5916.160704
Montazeri, S., Gonzalez, R. D., Yoon, C., & Papalambros, P. Y. (2012). Color, cognition, and recycling: How the design of everyday objects prompt behavior change. Proceedings of the 12th International Design Conference DESIGN 2012, Dubrovnik, Croatia.