Even though the sale or use of tobacco is banned within a 100 meters radius of educational institutions, yet it is found that in many reputed colleges around the city have small shops on their periphery selling tobacco and related products.
According to Section 6 (B) of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition on Advertising and Regulating Trade, Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COPTA), 2003, sale of tobacco products is prohibited within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institution so that students do not have immediate access to the products.
Various attempts have been made by the administration to get rid of such stalls but all have gone in vain. As most college going students are seen purchasing cigarettes and gutkha from the shops nearby.
A small stall on the periphery of Xavier Institute of Social Services (XISS) College was spotted selling tobacco products. When enquired, the owner of that stall about the law he said, “I am unaware of the law and have had this shop for the past one year. I am the only earning member of my family and will be unemployed if this shop gets shut down.”
A shop owner near Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) Extension lalpur Raghunath Prasad said, “I am aware that there is a law. However, I have been here for many years. This is our business and if I stop selling tobacco, then students will find another shop.” “I believe the ban is futile if smoking is banned around educational institutions, students will buy these products from other places,” he added.
As for the students, they were as adamant as the shop owners. A student standing right outside the stall of St Xavier College, Aditya Pratap said, “Smoking starts of as a social thing. Personally, I underwent a lot of stress and was unable concentrate on my studies. Initially it was passive and gradually I began to smoke to relieve all the tension.”
Most students blamed their addiction is because of their friends group pressure and weak will power Another student Suchit Sinha said, “It is worthless to make efforts towards changing the society. Smoking is like addiction one started can never be quit off, if we did not get it within the radius of 100 meter than will acquire from other place.”