The State government seems to be getting its act together on COTPA — Control of Cigarettes & Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, which came into effect 10 years ago.
Besides engaging the Home Department for the purpose, it is understood the Institute of Public Health has been appointed as nodal agency, to intensify the fight against violations of sale and promotion of tobacco and tobacco products.
Currently, various wings of the government are in the process of streamlining the plan, whose implementation will gather steam this year.
Besides, various officers from the police ranks vested with the responsibility of monitoring the enforcement of the Act at different levels, Additional Director General of Police (Crime) has been appointed nodal officer at State level with Superintendent of Police/Additional Superintendent of Police nodal officers at district level. A Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) will look after the Police Commissionerates, with inspectors, and sub-inspectors assisting them.
While the Home department has been mandated to record the progress of implementation in its monthly reports, the Institute of Public Health is expected to provide technical assistance, conducting training in various information, education and communication strategies of the police department. The range IGPs will have to coordinate with health department to implement the Act.
According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2010, around 39.8 per cent males and 16.3 per cent females used tobacco, while 37.2 per cent were exposed to smoke in public places.
Among children, experts claim that children as young as 15 years have various cases of oral cancer never seen before. The latest Global Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that 47 per cent of children in Karnataka were exposed to cigarette smoke.
Nearly 40 per cent of children in the State have experimented with smokeless tobacco.