Ban on sale of loose cigarettes ineffective in J&K

Srinagar, Jan 06: The sale of tobacco products including cigarettes is rampant across Jammu and Kashmir despite a government ban on the same raising concerns from people.
In 2016, Jammu and Kashmir Govt. banned the sale of loose cigarettes, loose beedi and loose tobacco under Section 7 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003.
However, the sale of loose cigarettes and other tobacco products continues rampantly across the UT and even the guidelines issued from time to time are not followed.
Riyaz Ahmad, an activist from Baramulla said he has observed that the sale of loose cigarettes is continuing in markets and it was encouraging youth to go for smoking.
“When the cigarettes are sold loose it gives an impression that cigarettes are affordable and anyone can buy them and it is also a reason behind the smoking,” he said.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, State Nodal Officer (Kashmir Division), National Tobacco Control Program said the directorate has been trying its level best to put control on loose cigarettes.
“It is unabated. It needs community and sectorial support. It needs a coordinated effort of several departments and then only the sale of loose cigarettes could be wiped out,” he said.
Mir said once that is done it would have a huge impact on sale of tobacco as affordability would become limited. “When there are loose cigarettes, it becomes affordable for people,” he said.
Official sources said the limited human resource at divisional and district level is also a reason why the implementation is poor and regular enforcement drives aren’t happening.
“There is absence of tobacco vendor licensing and high prevalence of hookah bars which has become a new trend in the town. There is a lack of coordination between various departments. Due to the busy schedule of DCs, quarterly meetings aren’t conducted on time,” the official said.
Mir said there is a need for establishment of Tobacco Cessation Centres in all the districts, Medical Colleges, District and Sub District Hospitals.
“Strict Compliance of TOFEI guidelines in all the educational institutions of Kashmir division and regular enforcement drives from Block to Divisional level can make a difference,” he said.
Mir also suggested the need for conducting a compliance survey of COTPA-2003 which has already been initiated with the SPM Department of GMC Srinagar and GMC Jammu.
The Union Health Ministry launched the National Tobacco Control Program in J&K in Dec 2016 and since then the NTCP has been expanded in all districts. However, he said HR support was been provided to two districts only viz: Budgam and District Jammu.
The program is being supported by the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease through technical and financial support. State Nodal Officer said enforcement squads have been constituted in all districts and regular enforcement drives are conducted.
Mir said during 2023-24, a total of 3,132 challans were conducted during which an amount of Rs 4,30,000 was collected from offenders. He said that under cessation, 17,457 people have been counselled during 2023-24.
The State Nodal Officer said tobacco control can be achieved by awareness against use of tobacco and implementation of COTPA and ToFEI around educational institutions.
As per the National Health Survey, J&K is sixth highest in the country after North Eastern States i.e., Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram in terms of tobacco consumption.
Tobacco use is associated with accelerated mortality among adults, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.
“If we aware people of the ill effects of tobacco then enforcement may not be needed because self-consciousness will develop among people. The main crux of the program lies with the IEC activities,” he said.
The Health Department had launched a “yellow line campaign” within a radius of 100 meters from any educational institution to ban the sale of tobacco products.
The Nodal Officer also said it needs a multi-pronged strategy of different individuals, organizations and departments to coordinate and arrive at a comprehensive policy to defeat this grave issue which is going to have serious consequences if they fail to control it.
In 2021, a survey conducted by the Union Health Ministry revealed that Kashmir spends a whopping Rs 600 cr on the purchase of tobacco products annually with Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla districts topping the numbers.
Jammu Kashmir is among the states with a huge number of tobacco consumers due to poor enforcement of COTPA.