Advocacy with police department for effective implementation of tobacco control polices
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Salaam Bombay Foundation, Tobacco Control & Advocacy, India |
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 1):A63
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KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background and challenges to implementation:
Children and
youth in India are vulnerable to tobacco initiation and tobacco industry uses
tactics to target this age group violating section 6a of Cigarettes and Other
Tobacco Products Act (COTPA 2003) which prohibits sale of tobacco products to
minors. To curb this and to protect the children from tobacco addiction,
Juvenile Justice Act (JJA) was amended in 2015 to include a jail term up to
7 years and fine of 1 LAKH Rupees and other provisions of COTPA 2003 related to
tobacco products. Salaam Bombay Foundation took this opportunity to sensitize
the Mumbai Police department to take action against the tobacco vendors
violating the law.
Intervention or response:
.In 2015 Salaam Bombay
Foundation conducted Sensitization Workshops on COTPA 2003 with Mumbai Police
Department under the leadership of Mr.Pravin Kumar Patil, Deputy Commissioner
of Police (Enforcement) Mumbai. Police officers and child Protection officers from
all the 94 police stations were invited for these workshops.
Results and lessons learnt:
Till date, 29000 policemen
from Mumbai Police have attended the sensitization workshop.After the Policemen
attending the workshop took action against 153 tobacco shops violating COTPA
2003. The workshop mobilized the government authorities and Assistant Police
Inspector; Juvenile Action Police Unit of Mumbai Police (JAPU) received a
letter from Health Department from Maharashtra state government to take action
on Violations of section 6a of COTPA act.
The officials took guidance and assistance from Salaam Bombay Foundation
representatives to take necessary actions.
Conclusions and key recommendations:
Capacity
building of governmental authorities would help to implement the existing laws
on sale of tobacco products more effectively and efficiently. Non-governmental
organizations can contribute in this by supporting governmental agencies.