CADA, PANDM welcome ban on tobacco items

IMPHAL, Oct 25 : The Coalition Against Drugs & Alcohol (CADA) and Peoples' Action for National Democratic Movement (PANDM) have welcomed the ban imposed on consumption, manufacture, storage, distribution and sale gutkha, pan masala, and other chewable tobacco products for a period of one year by the State Government.
Notification for the prohibition was issued by the Chief Secretary on October 18, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which deem such products injurious to health.
According to the notification, the ban covers products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, including gutkha, pan masala, chaap tobacco, khaini, zarda, and scented or flavoured tobacco, regardless of their packaging or form.
Citing the 2016 directive by the Supreme Court, the notification emphasised that the use of these products poses significant risk to public health, are unsafe and can ultimately damage the health of consumers.
It also mentioned that the Commissioner of Food Safety, authorised under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has taken up steps to ensure compliance with the policy, with immediate effect throughout the state, and safeguard public health.
In separate releases, CADA and PANDM said that the state-wide ban on tobacco items is a significant step taken by the State Government towards making the society healthy and tobacco free.
The organisations also expressed concern over the sharp rise in the number of smokers and users of chewable tobacco products in the State and added that more than 1 million adults die each year in India due to tobacco use accounting for 9.5% of overall deaths.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted in 2016–17, the overall prevalence of smoking tobacco use is 10.38% and smokeless tobacco use is 21.38% in India.   Manipur was ranked third for dual use of tobacco in the country with about 55.1 % of the total population consuming tobacco either in smoke or smokeless form.
The organisations also assured to extend all possible support to the State Government and its agencies in enforcing the ban to save the society and future generation.
Furthermore, CADA and PANDM cautioned all the shopkeepers/ business owners to take serious note of the restriction imposed by the Government and refrain from distributing/ selling gutkha, pan masala, and other chewable tobacco products.