Awareness prog for enforcement of COTPA Act held
Source: Chronicle News Service
Senapati, February 09 2023:
Aone dayawareness programme on enforcement of COTPA Act, 2003 under National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) was held ori Thursday for police personnel, school representatives, transport personnel, village representatives and other stake holders at DRDA hall, Senapati.
The event was organised by National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP), District Health Society, Senapati District.
In her welcome note, Senapati NHM DPM RK Elizabeth stated that the event is one of the biggest yet as not only medical department and schools but other related departments like transport, police as well as village authorities are inyolved this time.
She then urged all the stakeholders to play their part to prevent use of tobacco for better health in the society and also sought active participation of Police and School administrators for effective implementation of the Act.
Giving an update on NTCP Manipur, state consultant SM Moonkhum stated that COTPA Act was introduced to control the use of tobacco.
He mentioned that fines were imposed against those defaulters to give awareness to the people about its ill effects.
The ministry introduced the Act in 2007-08 in India and NTCP was introduced in Manipur in 2014-15 in two districts of Imphal West and Churachandpur, he said.
Under the programme, training of healthcare workers, social workers, NGOs, school teachers and enforcement officers, etc., were done.
Tobacco Cessation Centres have already been opened in the state with said facilities operating in Churachandpur, Chandel, Senapati and Thoubal districts.
NRT counselling was also conducted in Churachandpur, Senapati, Thoubal, Imphal West and Bishnupur district.
Committees were also set up in different districts and some amount of fines collected on enforcement of COTPA Act, 2003 .
Dailong village in Tamenglong district is already declared as Tobacco Free village, Moonkhum added.
Speaking as the resource person, Sangai Youth Tobacco Free and Educational Organisation (SYTFEO) president Premjit Thokchom deliberated on Tobacco Control Act, COTPA, 2003 & ToFEI Guidelines (for Schools) .
Talking on Health, Economic and Environmental burden of tobacco use globally and national perspective, the resource person showed pictorial representation of ill effects of tobacco use and how it can cause cancer.
He explained on the definition of tobacco, nicotine and on tobacco use epidemic worldwide, global burden, tobacco - the risk for six of the world's eight leading causes of death, tobacco induced morbidity and the global tobacco burden by youth.
He also cited the WHO's report that tobacco is the leading cause of death and illness.
It could kill 1 billion people during the 21st century if it's not controlled, Premjit said.
While India has one of the highest rates of oral cancer in the world, tobacco-related cancers accounted for 27 per cent of the country's cancer burden in 2020.With nearly 29 per cent of adults using tobacco, India is the second leading consumer of tobacco products after China.
The result is a catastrophic toll of close to 13.5 lakh preventable deaths per year, said the SYTFEO president.
He added that tobacco related cancers account for nearly half of all cancers among men and one fourth among women and mentioned about threats to environment from tobacco use.
The speeches were followed by an interaction session with the resource persons.
Around 50 delegates representing the police, school administrators, transport personnel, village representative and other stake holders attended the programme.