The Punjab government on Tuesday said that it would assess the effect of various tobacco control measures in the State, with the help of School of Public Health, PGI Chandigarh.
“The state health department in collaboration with PGI Chandigarh will conduct three types of surveys in different districts to assess the effect of various tobacco control activities in the state in last few years,” an official spokesperson said.
A review meeting of National Tobacco Control Programme and training of officials of district Tobacco Control Cell was held under the Chairmanship of Bhag Mal, Director Health and Family Welfare, Punjab in collaboration with NGO Generation Saviour Association.
In the first phase, a house to house survey will be conducted in Hoshiarpur, Bathinda and Amritsar districts following the Global Adult Tobacco Survey protocol, the spokesperson said. It would assess the prevalence of tobacco use and impact of ban of loose cigarettes and flavoured chewable tobacco on the tobacco users as well as the vendors, he said.
In the second phase a comprehensive compliance study in 10 districts (Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur, SAS Nagar, SBS Nagar, Gurdaspur, Roopnagar and Patiala) would be carried out, the spokesperson said.
Rakesh Gupta, State Programme Officer, Tobacco Control Cell said, all districts of Punjab have earlier been declared ‘Tobacco Smoke Free’ on the basis of compliance studies by PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani has directed officials to implement the Tobacco Control Act, Food Safety Act and Drug & Cosmetics Act proactively and effectively in the State. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare have issued necessary instructions in this regard.
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