MUMBAI: After banning smoking in public places, the Union Minister for Health and Family

Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss has now shifted his focus on junk

food, alcohol and drugs.

"Apart from tobacco consumption, junk food, alcohol and drugs are also adversely affecting
health of the nation. They need to be regulated on priority basis," Ramadoss said on Saturday
during a foundation stone laying ceremony at Sir J J Hospital campus in south Mumbai's
Byculla.

"There is a serious impact on health of young India due to these four elements. Even the parents
are unaware about the seriousness of adverse impact on their children due to them. We need to
create awareness about it," he said.

Ramadoss also appealed for public participation to enforce the smoking ban more effectively
across the country.

"India is facing shortage of staff in terms of doctors and nurses. The Centre is exploring all
possible ways to improve the health service in rural and urban areas," he said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was also present in the function, drew
attention of Ramadoss on the need of government medical colleges in the city.

"The private medical institutes are charging exorbitantly for students' admissions. Only students
from elite class can afford them. But there are many aspirants from middle class and lower
middle class family who wish to become doctors and wants to be part of health sector," he said.

He appealed to the Centre to amend or relax norms of Medical Council of India which will
permit to open one more medical college in the city.

"The Central government should relax some norms in MCI to pave way for medical college in
the city. In urban cities like Mumbai, Floor Space Index (FSI) needs to be considered, which
would make it easy to approve permission for college," Deshmukh said.

Smoking ban comes into force

New Delhi, PTI:

A pet project of Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, the ban on smoking would cover hotels,
restaurants, pubs, offices and even international airports.
For long a style statement for many, lighting up in front your friends or peers will not be
such a good idea anymore with the ban on smoking in public places coming into force
from Thursday.
A pet project of Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, the ban on smoking would
cover hotels, restaurants, pubs, offices and even international airports.

While a majority of states are enthusiastic about implementing the ban, few like
Maharashtra and Bihar have shown reluctance in doing so.
According to Ramadoss, Jharkhand, Delhi and Chandigarh are some states which have
already begun implementing the ban.
The Health Minister has run into a war of words with many personalities including
Shahrukh Khan who advised him to concentrate on issues of other importance like rural
health.
He has also advised West Bengal Chief Minister Budhdadeb Bhattacharya to quit smoking
at least in the Writers' Building.
In a tongue and cheek comment, Shahrukh Khan today said, "it is a good step to make
sure that the country is smoke free. Better step would be to ban cigarettes, make them
illegal and hang any one who is smoking. We cannot do that as we are a democratic
country."
However, he said he think that everybody should follow the ban. "I hope everyone call
upon their good self to do it. I myself would try my best," he added.
Any violation of the ban is a punishable offence with fine up to Rs 200.
In Delhi, the ban on smoking in public places is already there. The administration has
fined 1,131 people for smoking in the capital till July 31 this year.

Bus stands, cinema houses and several other places in Chennai turned tobacco free as
people refrained from smoking following the enforcement of the ban.
From the early hours of the day, police and transport officials were seen warning the
smokers in public places, including bus stops and suburban railway stations.
Murugan, a shop owner near the busy T Nagar bus stand in Chennai, who usually made a
roaring sales of cigarettes in the early hours, said there was only 15 per cent sales this
morning.
He said he used to sell cigarettes worth Rs 1,200 from six am to 10 am. But today he
managed to sell cigarettes worth Rs 180 only, he said.
Chennai Police said for the first few days, it would be only warning and educating.
However, from next week onwards, stringent steps would be taken.
Union Health Ministry issued a notification on May 30 for the ban under the Cigarettes and
Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and
Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution), Act 2003.
The ban has evoked mixed response from smokers and non-smokers with some calling it
a "draconian" measure while others consider it a "god-send" gift that may help them in
bringing down the intake of nicotine and reduce cutting a hole in their wallets.
"It is good for smokers, at least they will smoke less. It is good for the pocket as you buy
less cigarettes as well as for your health," says Chandrakumar, who could not quit
smoking despite taking several "New Year resolutions".
A top official with a Central Ministry, who requested anonymity, says it is a "god-send
gift" which would help him quit the habit of lighting up rolled-up tobacco whenever he is
in stress.

But not all smokers are amused by the move. "This is a senseless and draconian ban.
When you are stressed during work and you just want to de-stress yourself. Now, you
have no other option," Rajiv Kumar, a software engineer, says.
Pub and restaurant owners also feel that the government rushed into such a measure
without giving enough time for them to arrange space for "smoking zones".
The Centre, meanwhile, is also not "so sure" about the implementing agencies of the ban.
While anybody can complain to authorities concerned if a person is found smoking, there
is no hard and fast rule as to where the Rs 200 fine would be deposited.
Ramadoss, however, said the states have been given two options -- one is to use the
money for tobacco control programme and the other is to deposit it in the state treasury
in line with the fine amounts for traffic violations.

Smoking ban to be enforced from Oct 2: Ramadoss

The Centre would strictly enforce the ban on smoking in public places from October 2,
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss said.

"An Act on no smoking in public places has been brought out by the Centre two-and-a-half
years ago, but it remained only on paper. Now, we have made a modification in the
already enforced rule and from October 2, 2008, the modified rule will be enforced
strongly across the country," he said at a function, as part of World Tobacco Day being
observed on Saturday.

Elaborating on the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement

and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act-2003,
he said the Government of India has notified revised Rules on the Prohibition of Smoking
in Public Places on May 30, 2008.

"As per the revised Rules, smoking is banned in shopping malls, cinema halls,
public/private work place, hotels, banquet halls, discotheques, canteen, coffee house,
pubs, bars, airport lounge, railway stations", he said.

People can smoke on roads or in their homes but not in any other place, he said.

The impact is more while smoking inside closed environment than in roads or streets, he
said.

Ramadoss said 40 per cent of deaths occur in India due to tobacco related diseases while
two-third of deaths occur due to smoking, junk foods and usage of drugs.

New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) Indian Health Minister Anbumani

Ramadoss Tuesday launched a media campaign against passive
smoking as part of efforts to increase awareness about rules
banning smoking in public nationwide from Oct 2. “We
wholeheartedly welcome the Supreme Court judgement that the
health ministry can implement the (rules),” said Ramadoss
announcing the start of the campaign at a press conference.
The new Smoking in Public Places Rules 2008 was notified this
month.
“The new rules will cover private buildings and establishments as
well. It is for both to discourage smokers and for employees
working at these places. Employees working anywhere in country have a right to have a smoke
free atmosphere,” Ramadoss added.
The minister said he had written to chief ministers of all states, state governments, health
ministers and MPs to help enforce the ban on smoking.
Asked about some state governments’ stated inability to enforce such a sweeping ban, he said:
“We are sorting out these issues, and we will make them enforce these rules.”
Ramadoss further appealed to the public to respect the law.
The government would launch Oct 2 a web site, www.secondhandsmokekills.in, to create
awareness about second hand smoking.
The Supreme Court Monday upheld the government ban on smoking in public places from Oct 2.
The court order came on a plea by the government seeking transfer from high courts various
lawsuits challenging the ban.
Sandra Mullin, senior vice president of World Lung Foundation, said: “This is truly historic.
India is taking steps to halt the epidemic. These rules are going to contribute a lot.”

New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) Forty percent of India’s health

problems are linked to smoking, Health Minister Anbumani
Ramadoss says, defending the stringent measures to ban smoking
in public places from Oct 2.”According to a WHO survey, the (size
of the) tobacco industry is Rs.35,000 crore (Rs.350 billion/$8
billion). Government as well as individual expenditure on
preventing and treating tobacco-related health ailments as well as
loss of production due to these diseases is Rs.36,000 crore (Rs.360
billion),” Ramadoss told IANS in an interview.
He also pointed out that of the five million people the world over
who have health problems because of tobacco use, one million are
Indians.
Ramadoss denied suggestions that he was playing the moral policeman due to the health
ministry’s banning smoking in public places from Oct 2.
“I am not trying to play a moral policeman or guardian. I am just doing my job. As health
minister it is my responsibility to create awareness in the general population and to save every
youth from everything that can harm their health.
“What happens in India impacts global figures. One sixth of humanity lives in India. As many as
600 million people here are below 30 years of age. We consider them as the high-risk group
when it comes to tobacco, alcohol, drugs use, HIV infection and junk food consumption. It is the
responsibility of the government to highlight the ill effects of these to the naive, illiterate and the
youngsters,” Ramadoss contended.
“If I, as health minister, can’t do it who can? We don’t want the young people to become a
liability for our society,” he contended.
He also spoke of the resistance to his anti-smoking measures from the cigarette and bidi lobby.
“Surprisingly, also from politicians. The chief ministers of (West) Bengal, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh wrote to lobby against these measures. More than 80 Members
of Parliament made a representation against the ban and pictorial warning,” Ramadoss said.
At the same time, he pointed out that India was obligated to imposing the measures because it
was one of the 152 signatories to WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control 2004.
He was also confident that smokers would be deterred by pictures of a skull or damaged lungs on
a pack.
“Canada, Brazil and Singapore saw a three to five percent drop in smokers after such a measure.
In the UK, 45,000 people quit smoking after smoking in public places was banned. Besides, the
effect of pictorial warning on packs will be reviewed by a health ministry committee after one
year.
Ramadoss also contended that the government would draw huge political capital from the anti-
smoking measures.
“I feel there is going to be a huge gain for the Manmohan Singh government in the vote bank,”
the minister said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) supported the report, which said that nearly 70 percent
of these one million deaths would be in the age group of 30-69.

New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Come Oct 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and smoking
in public places and even private buildings anywhere in the country will become a punishable
offence.Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Tuesday said the government is committed to curb
tobacco consumption among the people and has set the deadline of Oct 2 to ban smoking in
public places.
“If you want to smoke, go out to a street where there are no people,” Ramadoss told reporters.
Earlier, smoking was only banned in government buildings but as per the new rules, all
buildings, including private ones, will be smoke-free zones.
“Pubs, discos, bars, hotels, restaurants, railway stations, schools, colleges and all offices are
under the purview of these new rules,” the minister said.
He said that with the new rules coming into force, all hotels with at least 30 rooms and
restaurants with a sitting capacity of 30 will be barred from allowing their guests to smoke.
“They may come up with a smoking lounge but food and drinks will not be served inside it.”
Ramadoss said the government is empowering school principals, post masters, railway station
masters, NGOs and even your boss to book you if you’re caught smoking in a public place.
 “We are going by the old fine of Rs.200 per person caught smoking in public places. But we
want to increase the fine to Rs.1000 per person per offence and Rs.5,000 for institutions. A
decision on this might be taken in future,” Ramadoss said after inaugurating a two-day anti-
tobacco advocacy conference here.
He said that the government will continue with its anti-tobacco drive in the form of a ban on
smoking in public places from Gandhi Jayanti, and pictorial warning on tobacco products will
start from Dec 1.
The pictorial warning will comprise of lacerated body parts of cancer patients and carry a tag line
tobacco kills. It will be mandatory for all tobacco companies to carry the pictorial warnings.
“Through an awareness drive, the silent majority will be able to overcome the propaganda of
noisy pro-smoking minority,” the minister said.
“Forty percent of all our health problems are tobacco-related. It is time to scare the lights out of
tobacco users by highlighting the health hazards,” he added.
Focusing on the tobacco menace among the youth, he said that 13 percent children in the age
group of 13-16 years consume tobacco.
In order to address this major concern, the government has allocated Rs.2.2 million to each
district for creating awareness among people and especially among students.
He said a number of tobacco de-addiction clinics would come up to help smokers quit. To begin
with the government will start 100 clinics and ask medical colleges and district hospitals to open
such centre1s.
Last month, the cabinet approved Rs.6 billion for anti-tobacco drive and promotion of medicinal
plants in the country.
National Medicinal Plants Boards and National Tobacco Board will make efforts to wean away
tobacco growing farmers from tobacco to medicinal plants.
Minister for State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi, who was guest of honour at
the inauguration, said that tobacco is a major health problem with very high socio-economic and
health cost and there is a need for concerted efforts to control this menace. Director General
Health Services, R.K. Srivastava, also addressed the gathering.

OTPA RULES 2008 COTPA

2008
ntrol of Tobacco Products Act, commonly known as COTPA, came into effect in 2004. The Act covers prohibition of advertisement
gulation of trade and commerce, production supply and distribution of tobacco products. New R
t - short title is called; Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules - 2008 closes loopholes which allowed smoking in some public
The rules , which officially become law on October 2nd, do not allow smoking in any public places where non-smokers may be
COTPA
t. Enforc
places include; workplaces, shopping malls, airports, bus and train stations, hotels, cinema halls, shops and restaurants.
 tly, hotels with 30 or more rooms or restaurants with 30 or more tables can have a smoking area. The latest rules differ in the sense
moking areas in these places now have to be physically separated with full height walls, automatically closing doors, and separate
e air pressure to not allow smoke to drift outwards. This space will also only be allowed for the purposes of smoking and no other
s will be allowed.
more, no ashtrays, lighters or other objects to facilitate smoking shall be provided in the smoke free places outside of the regulation
g areas.
e specifications as per the revised COTPA regulations can be sourced from the secondhandsmokeskills directory - COTPA
e.

NEW REGULATIONS COTPA Rules

Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 2008 2008
Effective October 2, 2008, the Indian government will expand the
prohibition on smoking in public places and workplaces to protect New
individuals from the hazards of secondhand tobacco smoke. Regulations
As part of this new law, the prohibition on smoking in public places
includes: COTPA
• Hotels
Enforcement
• Restaurants, coffee houses, pubs, bars, airport lounges, and other such places visited by the
general public

• Workplaces

• Shopping malls

• Cinema Halls

• Educational Institutions and Libraries

• Hospitals

• Auditorium, open auditorium, amusement centres, stadium, railway station, bus stop etc.

Compliance:
Individuals in charge of public places and workplaces (i.e., owners,
proprietors, managers, supervisors) shall be held responsible for
complying with the law by ensuring that:
• No person smokes in the public places covered by the law

• Smoking may be permitted in hotels with 30 rooms or more, restaurants with seating capacity
of thirty or more persons, and airports, but only in rooms

○ that are physically separated and surrounded by full height walls on all sides with
an entrance having an automatically closing door normally kept closed
 ○ has an air system that is exhausted directly to the outside and has negative air
pressure in comparison to the remainder of the building

○ that are not used for any purpose other than smoking, that is no food or beverage
is served and no other service is provided

• All designated smoking areas are prominently placed away from entrances/exits of buildings

• Signage on smoking restrictions are prominently placed throughout the public places, and
follow the guidelines set by the law

• No ashtrays, matches, and lighters are provided in public places

• The name of the person(s) to whom a complaint may be made by anyone who observes
others smoking in the public places is displayed in the public places.

• Individuals who do violate the law are reported. Lack of appropriate reporting shall result in a
fine impended upon individuals in charge of the designated public place

Penalties:
For individuals not abiding the law (or persons in charge of public
places not reporting/enforcing the law), a fine will be issued, and
possible criminal sanction.
Enforcement:
Authorized persons responsible for imposing and collecting fines
against the violation include those in charge of designated areas. For
instance, for:
• Public places: Tax inspectors, health directors, central/state administrator heads, anti-
tobacco nodal officers

• Railways: Station leaders

• Government offices: Gazettes officers

• Hospitals: Hospital heads (i.e., directors, superintendents, administration heads)

• Post offices: Post masters

• Private offices/workplaces: Office head (i.e., managers, administration heads)

• Educational institutions: Institution heads (i.e., principals, headmasters, teachers)

• Libraries: Library heads, assistants, and librarians

• Airports: Airport heads (i.e., managers, airport/airline officers