Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department on Tuesday launched an awareness and enforcement drive on the first day of the World No Tobacco week.
A meeting under the State Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Vini Mahajan was held for effective implementation of anti-tobacco law and the focus was on Section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) stating 85 per cent specified health warning on tobacco product packs.
Mahajan also released compliance studies done by School of Public Health, PGI Chandigarh, a compilation booklet of notifications, circulars and the IEC material to be used in Punjab to spread awareness about tobacco control.
Five districts namely Jalandhar, Patiala, Sangrur, Gurdaspur and Roopnagar with overall good compliance of all sections of COTPA were honoured by Mahajan.
“The notification of larger pictorial health warnings carries tremendous importance. It will have positive behavioural change in current tobacco users. A larger pictorial warning on tobacco products are the most cost effective strategy to prevent youngsters from initiating the use and provoke current users to quit the habit,” she said.
She added that it has been already authenticated by PGI study in Punjab that more that 90 per cent of the current tobacco users noticed pictorial health warnings on packs. Out of these, more than 60 per cent thought of quitting smoking after seeing the health warning.
State Food and Drug Administration commissioner Hussan lal said that a coordinated effort from all stakeholders departments is the essence of controlling the menace of tobacco and nicotine.
State Health and Family Welfare director Dr HS Bali said that considering the prevalence of tobacco use, especially amongst children and youth of this country, and the burden on the public exchequer to treat tobacco related illness, it is important to control this menace. State Tobacco Control Cell’s State programme officer Dr Rakesh Gupta told that they are celebrating ‘No Tobacco Week’ to commemorate ‘World No Tobacco Day’ that falls on May 31.
Various activities across Punjab will be organised in this week, while awareness drives will be organised in every district, he added.