Nearly 11% percent of people in Tamil Nadu smoke

ON NATIONAL NO SMOKING DAY CAI URGES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF TOBACCO VENDOR LICENSING IN TAMIL NADU TO PROTECT YOUTH

Nearly 11% percent of people in Tamil Nadu smoke tobacco and nearly 20% use tobacco in one or other form

Chennai: With an objective to control the usage of tobacco by youth and children in  the State of Tamil Nadu, Consumer Association of India and Delhi based Consumer VOICE on this National No Smoking Day urging government to implement the rules of tobacco Vendor Licensing to protect masses from tobacco products.

Section (4) of the COTPA 2003 prohibits smoking in all public places. ‘Public Place’ is defined as any place to which the public has access whether as of right or not and includes all places visited by general public namely auditorium, hospital building, railway waiting room, amusement centres, public offices, court buildings, educational institutions, libraries, coffee houses, canteens, banks, clubs and also open spaces surrounding hotels/restaurants etc.

K.Ramachandran, Managing Trustee, Consumers Association of India, Tamil Nadu, “Tobacco use imposes enormous health and economic burden on the country.  Each year, over 1 million Indians die from tobacco-related diseases in India. The GATS data shows prevalence of tobacco consumption is increase compare to GATS-I. Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2 (GATS 2) shows 20% percent of adults in Tamil Nadu consume smokeless tobacco and 11% consume in the form of smoking. Vendor licensing is needs to be implemented to keep the younger generation from the influence of tobacco products”.

Vendor licensing is authorizing a business to engage in tangible retail sales of tobacco from a shop, sidewalk stand, a pushcart, a shop, a motor vehicle. These will registered with municipalities and adhere to COTPA Regulations.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, vide letter dated 21^st September 2017 and Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation on Sept. 28, 2018 issued advisories to all Principal Secretary/Secretary Urban Development/ Local Self Government) of all States/UTs/ Urban Local Bodies for ensuring licensing mechanism for tobacco vendors with restriction on sale of candy, chips etc.

As per Mr. Ashim Sanyal, Chief Operating Officer, Consumer VOICE “Vendors sell cigarettes and bidis via single sticks, making these products cheap and accessible to children and youth. Selling of such products outside of educational institutes along with toffees, chips, chocolates, biscuits etc attracts the youth to the shops with potential addiction through experiments. Vendor Licensing will surely curtail the tobacco consumption” he added.

According to our study on tobacco vendor in Tamil Nadu, tobacco vendors are violating COTPA, 2003:

·        Sale of loose cigarettes is rampant 97% which frustrate purpose of pictorial warning at package.84% Tobacco vendors were found Selling candy, chips etc. the products meant for and to attract children/youth to tobacco shops. Tobacco products are displayed openly amounting to advertisements and Tobacco advertisements were found at several point of sale.

Some Rules on sale of tobacco products:

·        Section 6 of The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA) bans sale of tobacco to and by minors and prohibits the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions.

·        A MoHFW advisory in September 2017 recommended licensing of tobacco vendors through municipal authorities

No Smoking Day is observed every year on the second Wednesday of March, to encourage people over the world to quit smoking.

About CAI

CAI  is an 17 year old voluntary consumer organization based in Chennai with members pan India. We provide voluntary service and support to consumers on various issues that affect their rights. CAI has been nominated to serve on various committees on TRAI, DGCA, Advisory Committee of FSSAI, Board of BIS etc. where we represent consumers’ interest. For full details, please visit our website www.caiindia.org.

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