The Hindu : Front Page : Ban on smoking in public places to be enforced strictly from October 2

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Ban on smoking in public places to be enforced strictly from October 2

Special Correspondent

New notification redefines public space
under Tobacco Products Act
Successful implementation rests with
State governments, says Anbumani

CHENNAI: From October 2 this year, smokers will have to stay at home or go out to the road if they want to light up, Union Minister of Health Anbumani Ramadoss said on Saturday.

In a May 30 notification, the Centre has revised the definition of ‘public space’ under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003. From Gandhi Jayanthi this year, public space will come to mean work places, shopping malls, cinema halls, hotels (with or without lodging), boarding houses, guest houses, refreshment rooms, restaurants, banquet halls, discotheques, canteens, coffee houses, pubs, bars and airport lounges.

As per Section 4 of the Act, smoking in public places is already a punishable offence. Under the revised rules, the liability of keeping a public place smoke-free has been vested with the person in charge of that particular place. Making the announcement at a meeting organised at the Cancer Institute (WIA) on the occasion of No Tobacco Day, Dr. Anbumani insisted that the Act would be strictly implemented from October 2. “After that date, the only places you can smoke are the roads and your home, if your family will allow it,” he said categorically.

However, he admitted that the successful implementation of such an Act rested with the State governments. “There is a beautiful law on paper. It is the duty of the States to implement it. But none of the States is enthusiastic,” he said. Tamil Nadu was one of the better states in implementation but even its performance was not satisfactory, the Minister said.

The anti-tobacco campaign was being systematically thwarted by the tobacco industry. Though a notification to print pictorial warnings on tobacco product packs had been issued on March 16, it could not be implemented as the tobacco lobby had gone to court and a decision was pending.

“India too should be tobacco-free in some years. Bhutan is the only nation in the world where tobacco products cannot be sold. We should be able to do that as well,” Dr. Anbumani said.

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