‘No Smoking’ signs very less: Report
SHILLONG: A dissemination workshop was conducted on Wednesday at NHM Conference Hall, Directorate of Health Services, Shillong to disseminate the findings of Baseline Assessment on compliance of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 and public opinion poll on prohibition of smoking in public places.
The baseline assessment was conducted in East Khasi Hills and West Khasi Hills districts of Meghalaya during the end of 2018. The findings show that there are very less “No Smoking” signage in public places but as per law all public places must display “No Smoking” signage.
There are instances of tobacco products being sold to minors as well as by minors. There was no display of “no sale to minors” at shops. There was no display of “100 yards radius” signage in educational institutions.
All Indian tobacco products observed for the purpose of the study are fully compliant to COTPA.
Assessment was conducted on prohibition of smoking in public places (Section 4 of COTPA), prohibition on sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions (Section 6 (b) of COTPA), prohibition of tobacco advertisement (Section 5 of COTPA) and prohibition on sale of tobacco products to and by minors (Section 6 (a)), display of pictorial health warnings in tobacco packages (Section 7, 8 and 9).
As per assessment of COTPA, 2003, the fact sheet of Meghalaya for East Khasi Hills and West Khasi Hills in 2018 by the Department of Community Medicine, NEIGRIHMS and department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh revealed that out of the 445 point of sale (PoS), 73.3 per cent are located within 100 yards of educational institution.
The report revealed in 27.5 per cent of the public places, someone was found to be smoking, cigarettes butts and bidi stubs were found in 38.3 per cent of the public places.
The report revealed that sale of tobacco products by minor has been observed in 6.3 per cent of the PoS and sale of tobacco products to minors has been observed in 46 per cent of the PoS. Prominent display of tobacco products can be seen in 68.8 per cent of PoS, smokeless forms of tobacco are sold at 82 per cent of PoS, sale of loose tobacco/cigarettes is found at 96 per cent of the PoS observed.
It also revealed that pictorial health warnings is not displayed in any of the local products and 79.3 per cent of the cigarette-foreign made packages are compliant and covers 85 per cent of the principal display area of the package with pictorial health warning. Indian made cigarettes are fully complaint and displays pictorial health warnings as prescribed under COTPA, 2003.
The public opinion poll conducted by the two medical institutions showed that 7.3 per cent of the people are aware of COTPA while 78.3 per cent of the public agrees that smoking should be banned in public places.
Lana E Lyngdoh Nongbri, State Nodal Officer, National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) and National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) that “Smoke-free Shillong” campaign is an ongoing process and in order to achieve it, multi-sectoral approach is required.
She also observed that it is important for different departments to collaborate together and for the community and society to come together to ensure that the ill-effects of tobacco is removed and start moving towards a healthy future.
She also stated that to disseminate the Act, the priorities for the programme is to enforce the Act in schools, Police Bazaar and vendors.
As for vendors, Nongbri said that the NTCP will coordinate with the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) to ensure that the latter instructs the vendors to put signage in their shops.