The Punjab Government today issued strict instructions to police department to book all those vendors and owners of hotels and restaurants under section 77 of Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act 2015 (J.J. Act) and Cigarette and other Tobacco Product Act 2003 (COTPA), if they found catering minors.Presiding over the high level meeting of National Tobacco Control Programme, Mr. Varun Roojam, Commissioner, Food & Safety said that it is imperative for the police department to enforce these provisions with iron hands to have salutary effect on the young populations. Asking Excise and Taxation department to intensify raids under Anti Tobacco Campaign on malls and shops selling smuggled, imported and fake cigarettes and book them under section 7 of Cigarette and other Tobacco Product Act 2003 (COTPA).Underlining the importance of spreading the awareness about ill-effects of tobacco to every notch and corner of the state, Mr. Roojam said that social media wing in health department has been assigned the task to initiate special awareness campaign on various social media platforms to motivate the young generation.
He asked the local Government department that they would cancel the license of venders who are found to selling tobacco products with other food items. He also instructed the officers of various departments present in meeting to take strict action against erring venders and it must be ensured that they should not escape scot free at any cost. He said that health and other concerned departments would jointly carry out the campaign to aware the young students and general public. Mr. Roozam said that punishment to accused, who sells tobacco products to anyone below 18 years will definitely reduce the number of tobacco users among young children. He said that according to ‘Global Adult Tobacco Survey Report’, 1, 60,000 minors (under 18) begin using tobacco every year in Punjab and 42% of Tobacco users start using tobacco before 18 years of age. He said that J.J. Act, 2015 would go a long way in deterring young children & youth from initiation & also motivates current users to quit.The meeting was attended by the AIG P.P. Mr. Naveen Saini, Joint Director Labour M.P. Beri, Mr. Baldeep Singh Local Government, Mr. Surinderjit Singh Legal Metrology, Excise & Taxation State tax Officer Dr. Amung Bhatti, Dr. Areet Kaur Additional Director Health, Dr. Rakesh Gupta Programme Officer Health & Family Welfare, Professor Manjit Singh, Mr. Amarjit Singh L.R. department, Dr. Sonu Goyal Asst. Professor PGIMER, Sushma Sharma DD School Education, and members from various NGOs.