Dr Mridula Singh
Tobacco is the world’s leading single cause of death, responsible for over 50 lakh deaths annually, which if unchecked will go over 80 lakh deaths per year. In India too, smoking causes more than 10 lakh deaths a year, which is more than the deaths caused due to various other causes combined together .Ironically, it is the only poison that is being sold worldwide and it does a good job of killing half of its consumers!
In our country, as per the Global Adult Survey conducted in 2016-17, there are about 26.7 crore adults using tobacco in one form or the other, that is about 28.6% of the adult population. The prevalence of tobacco use in youth is slated at 12.4%, initiation starting at about 18.9 years.
In the Union Territory of J&K, we are only a little better than the country in terms of prevalence of tobacco use in adults at 23.7%. The prevalence of tobacco use in youth is slated at 5.3 %, initiation starting at about 18 years.
Second hand smoke or passive smoking in public places affects 23% of all adults in India, whereas it is 35.3% in J&K!
With such staggering numbers, it is high time for us to act to contain this menace and save our health and that of our future generations because tobacco is a killer and causes a wide range of ailments like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Heart Disease, Stroke, Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, Preterm delivery, Stillbirth, Sudden infant death syndrome and cancers of almost every organ.
Government of India launched the National Tobacco Control Programme in the year 2007 in order to tackle the growing menace of tobacco with the objective of bringing about greater awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and to facilitate effective implementation of the Tobacco Control Laws.
The author would like to inform the readers about Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA), in 2003 wherein direct or indirect advertisement of tobacco products is prohibited , all tobacco products have to carry the mandatory health warnings as specified in the Act, smoking in all public places is forbidden , and , sale of Tobacco to and by minors is a punishable offence as is sale of the same within 100 yards radius of any educational institution .
It is for this last provision, that the Department of Health has undertaken the Yellow Line Campaign around certain educational institutions in Jammu city. A yellow line has been painted at a distance of 100 yards from the entry gates of some schools demarcating tobacco free zones around the schools where no sale of tobacco products should be done as per the provisions of the COTPA-2003.The idea is to create awareness amongst the citizens .
Enforcement squads have been constituted for conducting raids and checks .The citizens are also requested to remain vigilant and cooperate with the law enforcers.
It is urged to all heads of educational institutions, both government and private, to ensure that sale of tobacco products is not allowed within 100 yards radius of their institutions .Also, the school heads are advised to display boards at the entrance to their schools, declaring the same .Link for CBSE circular on Tobacco Free School/Educational Institution maybe downloaded at www.cbse.nic.in/ circulars/ cir18-2009.doc
Nodal Officer for Tobacco Control in the Health Directorate may be consulted for technical or any other inputs at ntcpjammudiv@gmail.com
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