JOIN USTobacco products continue to sold with impunity at public places and near schools and colleges in the town, in flagrant violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). There seems to be scant regard for the law, despite the awareness on perils of tobacco use.
Traders of all sorts - petty businessmen to commercial establishments - have been selling the banned tobacco products at prohibited places and have even been allowing consumption of tobacco products on their premises. People have been purchasing these products at small tea shops, pushcart vendors, pan beeda shops situated next to bars and restaurants, movie houses, hospitals and close to government hospitals, and even consuming them at these places.
The state government has constituted district tobacco control unit while the police and the officials of the city municipality too have been sensitised on curbing tobacco use. However, it appears that the official machinery has been complacent.
Scientific research has shown that smoking tobacco products such as cigarette contains as many as 4,000 chemicals 69% of which are carcinogenic. Chewing tobacco products comprise 3,095 chemicals 28% of which cause cancer. It has been established that use of tobacco products causes cardiac problems, cancer, paralytic stroke and respiratory problems.
Section 4 of COTPA prohibits smoking at public places such as bus stand, railway station, hotel and movie house. Section 5 bans advertising tobacco products prominently at public places and restricts display of publicity material near shops. Section 6A of COTPA bars sale of tobacco products to persons below 18 years of age while Section 6B prohibits sale and consumption of tobacco products within 100-metre radius of schools and colleges. Shops and commercial establishments should boldly display the warning against use of tobacco products according to Section 7.
Violation of the law invites a maximum penalty of Rs 5,000 and imprisonment for up to five years. Violation of each section of the law invites separate punishment.
Cases against violators
The district anti-tobacco unit which comprises taluk health officer, has conducted raids at several places and registered cases against 197 people during the period from January 2017 till March end. A fine of Rs 14,000 has been collected from the offenders. However, the sale and use of tobacco products at restricted areas continue unabated.
This has also been causing health hazards for those who do not consume these products. When contacted, surveillance officer for district anti-tobacco unit Dr Vijayakumari said that they have been maintaining a tight vigil on the sale of tobacco products in restricted areas.
“We have considered COTPA violation seriously. In the coming days, apart from registering cases against violators, we will also send a report to the city municipality for cancelling the trade licence of offending shops,” she said.
DH News Service