SHILLONG: Though anti tobacco day was observed in Shillong on Friday where people were urged to refrain from tobacco consumption but interestingly, the directive of the Deputy Commissioner of Foods Safety, State Food Safety and Standards Authority, Shillong banning sale of Guthka and pan Masala has not been implemented in Meghalaya so far.
It has been more than a week since the Deputy Commissioner of Foods Safety, State Food Safety and Standards Authority, Shillong prohibited the manufacture, storage, transport, sale or distribution of Guthka and Pan Masala containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients in Meghalaya but till date the items continue to be sold openly in the market with police least bothered to ask shopkeepers to refrain from selling these products.
If one goes to shops, one can easily find various types of Guthka getting sold without any fear of the order.
However, some shopkeepers in Jhalupara have followed the order as many have stopped the selling of the items shortly after the order was issued.
What can be even more embarrassment for the State Government is the fact that Guthka and Pan Masala containing tobacco and nicotine are sold openly just in the gate of the Shillong Civil Hospital where hundreds of patients are undergoing treatment. It may be mentioned that the storage and sale of Guthka and Pan Masala has been prohibited under sub section (2) of section 30 of the Food Safety And Standards Act, 2006 for a period of one year in the interest of the public health.
In India, tobacco causes 45% of all cancer deaths and 20% of all deaths. People find it impossible to quit because of the addictive nature of the chemical nicotine – so addictive that WHO considers tobacco addiction a disease which sadly afflicts one out of every three Indian.
Attempts were made to contact Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of the police of East Khasi Hills district for their views but the phones were not picked up.
