City Level Workshop for Sensitization Of Stakeholders to Support Tobacco Vendor Licensing in Madhya Pradesh

City Level Workshop on Tobacco Vendor Licensing – Indore, Madhya Pradesh

National Centre for Human Settlements & Environment (NCHSE) with support from Consumer VOICE Delhi organised a city level workshop on tobacco control issues at Hotel Surya in Indore, MP, on January 23, 2019.

The objective of the event was to sensitise stakeholders on tobacco control measures in Indore, Madhya Pradesh through vendor licensing.

Mr. Hemant Upadhyay, Advisor – Projects, Consumer VOICE presented the findings of a survey on selling of tobacco products in three cities, namely Bhopal, Indore and Gwalior, of Madhya Pradesh, with a special focus on findings of Indore.

The key findings of Indore are

  • The density of tobacco vendors is too high in both commercial and residential areas and no record on tobacco vendors is available. There were a total of 135 tobacco vendors in 2 wards/areas of Indore.
  • Tobacco vendors are violating COTPA, 2003.
  • Mandatory warning display board was not found in 24 % cases.
  • Tobacco products are displayed openly in 67% cases.
  • Tobacco advertisements were found at point of sale in 67 % cases.
  • Sale of loose cigarettes is rampant reported in 99% cases, which frustrate purpose of pictorial warning at package.
  • 87 % Tobacco vendors were found selling candy, chips etc. the products meant for and to attract children/youth to tobacco shops.

The main recommendations of the study are:

  • Need to strengthen enforcement of COTPA and JJ Act and to include public/CSOs in monitoring.
  • Municipal authorities should implement the MOHFW’s advisory dated 21st September 2017 and recent MoUA Advisory dated Sept. 28, 2018 to all states for licensing tobacco vendors through State Municipal Laws. Licensing can reduce vendor numbers and can prescribe where tobacco products are sold. Regulating tobacco vendors can aid COTPA enforcement, increase municipal revenue and save children from tobacco trap
  • Tobacco companies should be made accountable for violations at point of sale.
  • State need to develop comprehensive action plan to fight tobacco menace.

 

Shri Upadhyay also highlighted that there are several gaps in the existing law and without vendor licensing it is not possible to make the COTPA effective.

There was a panel discussion on the needs and strategies for protecting young generation from the menace of tobacco, Shri. B C Jain Joint Director, Social Justice Department, Dr S S Nayyar, Oncologist and Dr Nikhil Oza, Child Specialist shared their views.

Shri. Jain pointed out that usually human being takes to tobacco or drugs to hide their weakness and the poor become prey to addiction because they have least resistance power.

Dr Nayyar pointed out that there is a host of laws in India related to protection of human health, but their implementation is poor. In medical curriculum tobacco is not included. He advised that prevention of cancer due to tobacco use and de- addictions for tobacco among children are must.

Dr Jha pointed out that tobacco industry targets the children because it is impossible to de-addict them. He also pointed out that tobacco industry not only benefits by selling tobacco products but also by selling products which are used for tobacco de-addiction programme.

Shri. Chinmay Mishra, senior journalist pointed out that due to lack of expertise among the journalists on technical matters like tobacco and cancer, they fail to project the issue properly. He stressed that there is need to think about the new way to discourage children to use tobacco products.

This was followed by open house discussion, when participants shared their experiences. Around 50 participants  including the experts, representatives from education depart, medical professionals, Civil Society organizations, community-based organizations, citizens of Indore attended the workshop.

Click here for Indore-Media

City Level workshop on Vendor Licensing-Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh

National Centre for Human Settlements & Environment (NCHSE) with support from Consumer Voice, New Delhi organized a city level workshop at  the State Institute of Health Management and Communications (SIHMC), Gwalior on 7th February 2019 to sensitize stakeholders to support tobacco vendor licensing and effective tobacco control measures.

The  programme started with the inaugural message by  Dr Pradip Nandi, Director General who briefly spoke about the magnitude of tobacco consumption in India and Madhya Pradesh and their health impacts, especially on youth. He stressed that despite Government of India issuing advisory to the states for the enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA 2003), its implantation is poor.

Shri Avinash Shrivastava Dy Director, NCHSE  presented the findings of a survey on selling of tobacco products in residential and Commercial areas in three cities, of Madhya Pradesh, viz. Bhopal, Indore & Gwalior.

The Findings of the study specific to Gwalior are as follows:

  • The density of tobacco vendors is too high in both commercial and residential areas and there is no record available of tobacco vendors. We found 140 tobacco vendors in 2 wards/areas of Gwalior.
  • Tobacco vendors are violating COTPA.
  • Mandatory warning display board was not found in 79 % cases.
  • Tobacco products are displayed openly in 67% cases.
  • Tobacco advertisements were found at point of sale in 67 % cases.
  • Sale of loose cigarettes is rampant 98% , which frustrate purpose of pictorial warning at package.
  • 87 % Tobacco vendors were found Selling candy, chips etc. the products meant for and to attract children/youth to tobacco shops.

The programme followed by a panel discussion on the needs and strategies for protecting young generation from the menace of tobacco, in which Dr.A.K.Dixit. Joint Director, Health & Director, SIHMC, Dr.Alok Purohit, Nodal Officer, Tobacco control cell, Dr .Mradul Saxena, Chief Medical Health Officer , Smt. Mamta Chaturvedi, District Education Officer, and Shri B. S. Sikarwar, Project Engineer, Gwalior Municipal Corporation shared their views.

Smt Mamta Chaturvedi informed that she has initiated steps to implement action as per section 6(a) Prohibition of sale of tobacco products to minors & Section 6(b) Prohibition of sale of tobacco products near educational institutions under COTPA 2003. She informed that necessary instructions to schools have been issued to mark the Tobacco Free Zone around schools with yellow line and to take action against vendors of tobacco products.

Dr Alok Purohit informed that multiple agencies are involved in implementation of COTPA 2003. He highlighted the need for creating awareness among students, especially of 7th Standards onwards to discourage them to take up tobacco. He stressed the need to educate the parents as well and that without support from Police it is very difficult to take action against the violators. He suggested that for COTPA to be made effective with respect to Section 6(a) & 6(b) it is necessary that Principal should see to it that the Tobacco Free Zone of 100 yard around educational institutions are marked properly, boards displaying warning in bold letters against violation of COTPA at the gate of Educational institutions are installed and regular warning to shops near educational institutions against selling of tobacco products are issued. Dr.  Dixit advised that mere displaying of warning is not enough.  There  is need for continuous monitoring against violation of COTPA 2003.

Dr Mridul Saxena informed that as per Government directive signage showing Smoke free zone  in all government buildings especially in Hospitals are being put up to discourage smoking in public places.

This was followed by an open house discussion, when participants shared their experiences. Besides the experts around 50 participants including representatives from education department, medical professionals, media ,Civil Society organizations, community based organizations, students and citizens of Gwalior participated in the workshop.  The event  received mass media coverage.

 

 

Dainik Bhaskar

Nai Dunia

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