Despite the Tobacco Control Act, there’s a rampant selling of tobacco products near educational institutions, Churachandpur deputy commissioner Sharath Chandra Arroju said on Thursday, urging the officials concerned to look into the matter.
Be it the district administration, the medical officials or the law enforcement agencies, there is a need to educate ‘ourselves’ and equip oneself with adequate knowledge to curb the menace of rampant selling of tobacco products near educational institutions, the DC said.
He was addressing the one-day district level training on Tobacco Control Act including Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA), and Tobacco Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) guidelines at DC Conference Hall, Mini Secretariat, Churachandpur, which was organised by District Health Society under NTCP Programme.
The deputy commissioner stated that exposure to tobacco smoke and consumption of tobacco products is one of the leading causes of death, cardiovascular diseases and disability.
Cigarettes are still being sold within 100 yards (92 meters) of educational institutes despite regulations under the COTPA 2003, he added.
The section 6 of COTPA 2003 states that cigarettes should not be sold to minors. It also prohibits the sale within a radius of 100 yards from any educational institute and Section 4 of the COTPA 2003 prohibits smoking in all public places, the DC said.
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2015 also states in Section 77 that, “It is an offence against a child if a person gives or causes to be given to any child any intoxicating liquor or any narcotic drug or tobacco products or psychotropic substance, except on the order of a duly qualified medical practitioner; shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend up to seven years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend up to one lakh rupees.”
President, Sangai Youth Institution, Premjit Thokchom and SM Moonkhum, State Consultant, NTCP presented papers on the subject.
