Strict application of anti tobacco rules

After attending an event on ‘Anti-Tobacco Day’ on May 31, mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Firhad Hakim has instructed a stringent implementation of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003.

According to this, no tobacco and tobacco products would be allowed to be sold within 100 m of any government office, hospital, educational institution, court and heritage buildings. Cigarettes, bidis and other tobacco products have been asked to be removed from shops in the vicinity of the KMC building on SN Banerjee Road and all other government offices.

To ensure a strict application of the rule, Hakim has also has directed the commissioner of Kolkata Police to alert all police stations regarding it. “Under no circumstances should anyone under the age of 18 be associated in buying, selling or consuming any tobacco product,” he said, adding that the intention was to bring down the rate of cancer affected patients.

Although COTPA was formed over 18 years ago but owing to a lacklustre application of the rule, it never proved to be very effective.

In his deliberation at Moulali Youth Centre during an event put up jointly by Indian Dental Association and Narayana Hridayalaya Hospital, Hakim said that every cigarette consumed is a step towards committing suicide. “Only framing rules against it would never be effective enough. A mass movement needs to be built just like it had been against wastage of water, littering garbage and felling of trees. People need to be made aware that to live longer and healthily, tobacco products need to be discarded. For the sake of one’s family, we need to realise the importance of giving up smoking,” he said and added that at all schools under the KMC there would be a special dental check up drive for children in the next two months.

 

 

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