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New Indian Express
30-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Centre asks states to run special drives enforcing anti-smoking rules
NEW DELHI: The Centre has directed all states to undertake special drives to enforce rules banning smoking in public places, prohibiting the advertisement of tobacco products and prohibiting the sale of tobacco products without statutory pictorial warnings to observe World No Tobacco Day on May 31. In a letter to all the states/UTS, the Health Ministry said the states should prepare and launch an action plan for implementing the revised guidelines for Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI, 2019) at all state-level events, 'aiming that all the educational institutions implement the guidelines strictly and be certified as tobacco-free.' The states were also asked to undertake other activities for the WNTD campaign, including carrying out print media coverage, pamphlets in schools, wall paintings, hoardings, awareness drive through celebrities, public announcements, social media campaign, television, radio jingles, street plays, among others for creating awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use. The ministry asked the states to share an action taken report within 10 days after WNTD 2025. 'In previous years, states/UTS have actively observed World No Tobacco Day by carrying out campaigns, organizing various activities and enforcing the Provisions of the COTPA, 2003 and PECA, 2019. The successful and strong participation on this day would bring visibility to the National Tobacco Control Program's efforts in reducing tobacco and nicotine use in India,' said V. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary in the Union Health Ministry.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
A yellow line campaign to keep tobacco away from the vicinity of educational institutions
Using a thick yellow line, all educational institutions should demarcate a 100 yard or 300 feet tobacco-free zone around the institution and ensure no sale of tobacco products. This should be completed within 30 days from May 31, which is observed as World No Tobacco Day, in all districts. This comes in line with the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 that prohibits the selling of tobacco products within 100 yards of any educational institution. This year, World No Tobacco Day is being observed on the theme of 'Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products'. In line with this, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, in its communication to District Health Officers, said as per the Revised Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) guidelines issued by Union Health Ministry and ToFEI implementation manual issued by the Union Education Ministry, all heads of educational institutions (schools / colleges / other educational institutions) should mark 100 yard or 300 feet area around the institution by a thick yellow line by involving local body authorities and Parents Teachers Association (concerned educational institutions). They should ensure that there is no tobacco sale within the yellow line. An enforcement team comprising health / police / local authorities will be formed and a block-level intensified enforcement drive will be conducted on May 30, June 3 and June 6 under COTPA with Information Education and Communication initiatives. The enforcement team will remove all direct / indirect advertisement of tobacco products if found during the drive.
