Governance
Tobacco Ban in Jharkhand
- 03 Dec 2020
- 4 min read
Why in News
The Jharkhand Government, in a recent order, has banned consumption of any form of tobacco products for all State Government employees.
Key Points
- The State Government has made it mandatory for all state government employees to submit an affidavit stating that they will abstain from consuming any form of tobacco.
- Tobacco products include any cigarettes, bidi, khaini, gutkha, pan masala, zarda or supari as well as hukka, e-hookah, e-cigarettes and tobacco products being used by any name - smoking and smokeless.
- The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Tobacco Control Programme's state chapter, with an aim to implement the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA).
- The decision will be implemented from 1st April, 2021.
- There has been no clarity over penal provision in case of violation of the order.
- The government is also taking measures for bringing behavioural change by using panchayat level institutions.
- Zila Parishads, Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats are asked to organise tobacco control discussions in every gram sabha meeting.
- The Police have been ordered to increase vigil at checkposts to stop entry of banned tobacco products.
- Previously in April 2020, Jharkhand had banned sale and consumption of tobacco products in public places, including online sales, in view of an increase in chances of Covid-19 infection.
Tobacco Control in India
- International Convention:
- India ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2004.
- Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003:
- Replaced the Cigarettes Act of 1975 (largely limited to statutory warnings- ‘Cigarette Smoking is Injurious to Health’ to be displayed on cigarette packs and advertisements. It did not include non-cigarettes).
- The 2003 Act also included cigars, bidis, cheroots, pipe tobacco, hookah, chewing tobacco, pan masala, and gutka.
- National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), 2008:
- Objective: To control tobacco consumption and minimize tobacco consumption related deaths.
- Implementation: NTCP is implemented through a three-tier structure, i.e. (i) National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) at Central level (ii) State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC) at State level & (iii) District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) at District level.
- Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2020:
- These provide for new sets of specified health warnings with enhanced pictorial images to be printed on all tobacco products.
- mCessation Programme:
- It is an initiative using mobile technology for tobacco cessation.
- India launched mCessation using text messages in 2016 as part of the government’s Digital India initiative.
- Prevention and Control of Pollution Act of 1981:
- Recognized smoking as an air pollutant.
- Cable Television Networks Amendment Act of 2000:
- Prohibited the transmission of advertisements on tobacco and liquor in India.
- The Government of India has issued regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 which lay down that tobacco or nicotine cannot be used as ingredients in food products.
