Sonu Goel1, Mohini Sardana2, Nisha Jain3, Deepak Bakshi4. 1. Associate Professor of Health Management, School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. 2. Masters in Health Care Management Scholar, Department of Health Care Information Technology, International Institute of Health Management Research, New Delhi, India. 3. Research Coordinator, Indian Institute of Public Health, Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi, India. 4. Medical Officer and State Nodal Officer (Tobacco Control), Department of Health and Family Welfare, Chandigarh, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: India is a signatory to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and also enacted cigarettes and other tobacco products Act (COTPA) in 2003. OBJECTIVES: To undertake a comprehensive assessment (Section 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 under COTPA) of legislation against tobacco products in a North Indian city. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at 108 public places which included educational institutions, offices, health institutes, transit sites, and hotels/restaurants. Structured checklists with compliance indicators for various sections under COTPA were used. Different brands of tobacco products were observed for pictorial warnings. RESULTS: No active smoking was observed at 80.5% public places, while 54.6% places had displayed "No smoking" signage. About 68.5% public places were found free of evidence of smell/ashes of recent smoking, and 86.1% places had no smoking aids. Merely, one-third public places (36.1%) were complying with all Section 4 indicators. Around 42.3% point of sale had advertisements of tobacco products, and 73.1% had a display of tobacco products visible to minors. Around 60% educational institutions displayed signages as per Section 6b of COTPA, and 32.5% had tobacco shops being run within 100 yards of institution's radius. There was minimal smoking activity within the campus. Health warnings were present in 80.8% of tobacco products, more with Indian brands as compared to foreign brands. CONCLUSION: The city of Chandigarh, which was declared the first smoke-free city of India, showed poor compliance with COTPA.
BACKGROUND: India is a signatory to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and also enacted cigarettes and other tobacco products Act (COTPA) in 2003. OBJECTIVES: To undertake a comprehensive assessment (Section 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 under COTPA) of legislation against tobacco products in a North Indian city. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at 108 public places which included educational institutions, offices, health institutes, transit sites, and hotels/restaurants. Structured checklists with compliance indicators for various sections under COTPA were used. Different brands of tobacco products were observed for pictorial warnings. RESULTS: No active smoking was observed at 80.5% public places, while 54.6% places had displayed "No smoking" signage. About 68.5% public places were found free of evidence of smell/ashes of recent smoking, and 86.1% places had no smoking aids. Merely, one-third public places (36.1%) were complying with all Section 4 indicators. Around 42.3% point of sale had advertisements of tobacco products, and 73.1% had a display of tobacco products visible to minors. Around 60% educational institutions displayed signages as per Section 6b of COTPA, and 32.5% had tobacco shops being run within 100 yards of institution's radius. There was minimal smoking activity within the campus. Health warnings were present in 80.8% of tobacco products, more with Indian brands as compared to foreign brands. CONCLUSION: The city of Chandigarh, which was declared the first smoke-free city of India, showed poor compliance with COTPA.
Authors: B Y Yuvaraj; Vijaykumar P Mane; L Anilkumar; Mallappa Biradar; Virupakshappa Nayaka; Rashmi Sreenivasamurthy Journal: Indian J Community Med Date: 2020 Jan-Mar