Taking cue from the States like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Assam which have prohibited the use and spitting of smokeless products in public places amid Coronavirus outbreak, the Union Health Ministry on Friday urged all the States to invoke appropriate laws to prevent the infectious disease.
It cited the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) appeal too asking the people not to consume and spit smokeless tobacco in public places.
According to the ICMR, the harmful effects of tobacco use are well established and accepted globally. Also the role of tobacco use/spitting in public place in spreading infectious diseases like Coronavirus. Chewing of smokeless tobacco products (gutkha, zarda, khaini and other chewing tobacco products and paan masala) and areca nut (supari) increases the production of saliva followed by a very strong urge to spit.
Spitting in public places increases the dangers of spread of Coronavirus/Covid-19.
The Ministry said that the State Governments have the necessary authority under the Epidemic Diseases Act,1897, the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Indian Penal Code 1860 to deal with Coronavirus/Covid-19.
In fact, several State Governments have already invoked relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code 1860 and other laws to prohibit the sale, use and spitting of chewing tobacco, to check the spread of Coronavirus/Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.
States like Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana, Nagaland and Assam have already issued orders on the ban of use of smokeless tobacco products and spitting in public places during the COVID epidemic.