Ban on smoking in public places is being vigorously implemented across Tamil Nadu and the State has collected Rs.58 lakh as fine from violators in the last two years, P. Vadivelan, State Tobacco Control Officer and Joint Director (Health Education Bureau), Government of Tamil Nadu, has said here on Tuesday.
“Our State is leading in implementing tobacco control measures particularly smoking in public places.
At a national level review meeting held in New Delhi recently, our State was appreciated for being a model in enforcement of Control of Tobacco Products Act and also the State ban on prevention of smoking in public places,” he said.
Talking to “The Hindu” at a State-level workshop for law enforcement officials on tobacco control, Dr.Vadivelan said that Tamil Nadu stood way ahead in collection of fine (Rs.58,86,150) in two years from violators of smoking ban while in other States it was hardly few thousands of rupees.
This fine amount was collected from 52,344 persons in two years time with the maximum fine per person being Rs.200.
“There is no let up in enforcing the ban by the State Tobacco Control Cell. The guidelines have to be followed and sale of tobacco products near schools is against law,” he said.
Seeking the active participation of police and school education officials in implementing the rules, the Joint Director informed that monitoring will be intensified through a special drive in all districts.
Schools are being encouraged to become ‘smoke-free' institutions.
In Tamil Nadu, 6072 schools and 1,250 colleges were declared as tobacco-free educational institutions due to the various active steps taken by them to prevent selling of tobacco products neat their campuses.
Training programmes are being conducted periodically at various places in the State and awareness programmes are being conducted in educational institutions.
Declaration of smoke-free places is done by the State Tobacco Control Cell.
Later, speaking at the workshop, Dr.Vadivelan said that the country got rid of some infectious diseases while the latest threats are heart attacks, blood pressure, stroke and diabetes.
“It is all because of habits and changing lifestyle. One cigarette takes away five minutes of life and statistics say that 10 lakh people are dying in India every year only due to consumption of tobacco products,” he informed.
He urged the enforcement officials including the police and school education officials to see that tobacco products are not sold within the 300 metres vicinity of any school. Sale of tobacco products for children below 18 years of age is banned.
V. V. Rajan Chellappa, Madurai Corporation Mayor, R. Gopalakrishnan, Deputy Mayor, A. Palanichamy, Principal, Health and Family Welfare Training Centre and V. Shanmugasundaram, Deputy Director of Health Services, were among those who addressed the participants.
