No Tobacco Day: Make tobacco control laws stricter, MPs urge PM Modi, Health Minister Mandaviya
From an ongoing signature campaign to screening short films and awareness talks, a series of events are being held in Pune Wednesday to observe World No Tobacco Day (May 31). Meanwhile, MPs have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya seeking to make tobacco control laws stricter.
“Don’t get tempted” is the key message relayed by doctors and volunteers of the Prevent Addiction Through Children’s Education (PACE) group. Three short films — Dhuva dhuva, Second Love and Titali — will be screened at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI).
The aim is to catch them young and instil in them a long-standing habit of staying away from addictions – be it smoking, alcohol, or drugs, said Dr Nitin Abhyankar, noted pulmonologist and one of the trustees of PACE.
PACE president Dr Vandana Joshi said the group has reached out to more than 4.5 lakh students in the last 10 years. “Presently, we are working in 10 districts and now want to expand to all 26 districts,” said Avinash Chabukswar, another trustee with PACE.
Pune’s Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan was among the first to endorse the ongoing signature campaign launched by the NGO Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal. Five other parliamentarians — Amol Kolhe, Lok Sabha MP from Shirur; Supriya Sule, Lok Sabha MP from Baramati; Shriniwas Patil, Lok Sabha MP from Satara; Pritam Munde, Lok Sabha MP from Beed and Ranjit Naik-Nimbalkar, Lok Sabha MP from Madha — have sent letters to PM Modi and Health Minister Mandaviya to introduce the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COTPA) Amendment Bill, 2020, in the forthcoming session of Parliament.
“Strengthening COTPA would entail a ban on the sale of tobacco products to youngsters below 21 years and not allowing the retail sale of loose cigarette sticks,” said advocate Varsha Deshpande, secretary of the Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal. While the signature campaign was launched in Pune, Deshpande added that at least 5,000 signatures would be collected across Maharashtra.
An awareness talk by P.A.C.E for schoolchildren on refraining from tobacco addiction (Express)
A major risk factor for non-communicable diseases, tobacco use causes 8 million deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In India, tobacco-related cancers accounted for 27 per cent of the country’s cancer burden in 2020, according to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
A recent survey by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, from April 1-May 25, also indicated one in six families have one or more immediate family members who are chewing gutkha and other chewable tobacco products. Despite the increasing burden and awareness about side effects, most adults continue to consume tobacco products, said Sudha Desai, general physician at Ruby Hall Clinic.
“Implementing taxes on tobacco is an effective way to reduce the use apart from educating and creating awareness about the ill effects of tobacco consumption,” Dr Desai said.
