Bhopal. National Centre for Human Settlements &
Environment (NCHSE) along with Consumer
Voice, New Delhi organised a
stakeholders’ workshop to present the finding
of the new study titled, “Big
Tobacco -Tiny Targets” on selling of tobacco products within the 100 yards of School premises in 20
cities across 6 states of India, including 5 cities (Bhopal, Indore, Sagar,
Jabalpur and Gwalior) of Madhya Pradesh as well as to sensitize stakeholders to
support tobacco vendor licensing and effective tobacco control measures to
protect young generation from tobacco menace.
NCHSE
conducted the study in Madhya Pradesh to determine the extent of tobacco
products being marketed and sold around schools in State. A total sample of 53 schools and 72 points of
sale were closely surveyed during this study in these cities. The report revealed that despite the
prohibition on sales of tobacco products near educational institutions,
numerous shops/vendors/points of sale sell & advertises tobacco products
around schools and that the multinational tobacco companies are systematically
targeting children as young as eight year old by selling tobacco products and
placing tobacco advertisements near schools premises. These egregious tactics,
are happening all over the country in clear violation of Section 5 and 6 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco
Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce,
Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA 2003).
The
key findings of study in Madhya Pradesh presented by Shri Hemant Upadhyay, Adviser,
Consumer Voice are:
1. Nearly half of the vendors around
schools sell tobacco products. (38
points of sale selling tobacco products out of the 72 surveyed around 53
schools in 5 cities.
2. Street and Mobile vendors were
the most common form of vendors at 73% of the 38 tobacco points of sale
observed.
3. Out of 72 tobacco points of sale
observed, 88% vendors found to be selling cigarettes of Multinational tobacco
companies.
4. About 100% vendors advertise
tobacco products around schools.
5. All tobacco vendors sell
cigarettes and bidis via single sticks, making these products cheap and
accessible to children and youth. (100%
of the 38 tobacco points of sale).
6. Vendors display tobacco products
in ways that are appealing to children and youth. (Out of 38 tobacco points of sale observed,
88% of displays were at 1 meter – a child's eye level; 98 % of the points of
sale had no visible health warning; and 92% of displays were beside candy,
sweets and toys – items marketed to children.)
Recommendations of the study are:
1.
Stricter
enforcement of COTPA rules prohibiting the selling and advertising of tobacco
products within 100 yards of educational institutions.
2.
Urgent
action required from the Government agencies to stop tobacco companies from
targeting children from aggressive advertising & selling tobacco products
around schools.
3.
Make tobacco industry accountable for their aggressive
advertising efforts around schools
4.
Municipal authorities should implement the MoHFW’s
advisory dated 21st September 2017 and MoUA advisory dated Sept. 28,
2018 on licencing tobacco vendors to regulate selling of tobacco products.
5.
COTPA compliance should be a condition of all vendor
licences where violations of COTPA constitute a violation of the licence
itself.
In his welcome address Dr Pradip Nandi ,
Director General , NCHSE said that out
of 13.5 lakh tobacco related deaths each year in India, about 91,000 people die due to tobacco related ailments in Madhya
Pradesh alone and therefore there is need for sensitizing
the stakeholders to support tobacco
vendor licensing and effective tobacco control measures to protect young
generation from tobacco menace. He also mentioned about the advisories for strict compliance or enforcement
of COTPA 2003 issued by the Urban Development Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh on 20th
September 2018 to all the urban local bodies, Directorate of Public
Instructions to all Divisional Joint Director and DEOs on 6th
February 2019 to launch the Tobacco Free School Campaign and National Health Mission
Madhya Pradesh to all CMOs on 15th February 2019 to create Tobacco
Free Zones around schools in Madhya Pradesh.
Dr Shailendra Patni of Gandhi Medical College
highlighted the administrative problems being encountered while implementing
the provisions on COTPA 2003.
Mrs Archana Sahay, Chief Executive of Child
line said that problems of addiction of tobacco among the children start from
home. Children usually start taking tobacco on observing the habits of their
parents. She advised two way action, counselling of children against use of
tobacco and action against vendors selling tobacco products under Section 77 &
78 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which
permits lodging of FIR against a vendor violating the law. She also advised to identify vendors selling
tobacco products and to paste a warning sticker notifying selling of tobacco
products to persons below the age of 18 as an offence.
Few participants also shared their experience
of how they have got rid of the habit of tobacco use. About 60 persons comprising of citizens of
Bhopal, Students, Teachers of educational institutions, representatives NGOs,
participated in the workshop.
