Assuring that all the educational Institutions in the state will be made ‘Tobacco Free’, Minister for Education, Nayeem Akthar said that fresh orders will be issued directing officials of his department to comply with the COTPA Act, 2003.
The Minister made this assurance during a formal meet with a delegation from Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) that called on the Minister in Srinagar.“To save the youth from the health effects of tobacco and to support this genuine cause we will be issuing relevant orders to make educational institutions tobacco free,” the Minister said.
He said that all the officials will be directed to observe COTPA act seriously and ensure that a follow up mechanism is put in place to ensure strict adherence to the act.Pertinently, as per Section 6 of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA), there is a ban on the sale of tobacco to and by minors and prohibition on sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions. Under Section 6 (b) of COTPA, the sale of tobacco products is prohibited in an area within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institutions and mandatory signage in this regard should be displayed prominently near the main gate and on the boundary wall of the school or the Institution.Notably, Principal Secretary, Education, Government of Jammu & Kashmir has already instructed all the Chief Education Officer’s (CEO’s) in the state to report COTPA violations on monthly basis. The CEO’s have also been asked to collate the violations for strengthening institutionalization of the mechanism and to forward the details on monthly basis to the Deputy Commissioners including the Superintendents of Police in the districts.
According to Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) carried out by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India conducted amongst the students in India, reveals that 14.6% of 13 –15 year old students are using tobacco in India. Of those, 8.1% of students smoked tobacco. As many as 11% of all male students surveyed were found to be users of smoking or smokeless tobacco, while 6% of female students used smokeless tobacco and 3.7% smoked tobacco.
According to the MoHFW, nearly 37% children in India initiate smoking before the age of 10 and each day, 5500 children begin tobacco use. The findings of these studies highlight the need for targeted interventions among youth in general and students in particular, especially given the marketing overdrive of the tobacco industry to promote the use of tobacco among youth. (CNS)