BHUBANESWAR: Chewing of paan, gutkha or other tobacco products in hospitals will henceforth invite action as the Government has moved to enforce tobacco control laws stringently across its health institutions.
No visitor, patient’s attendant or staff of any hospital or health centre from tertiary to primary level can consume tobacco products on the premises of the institution and violators will be dealt with an iron hand.
The State Health Department has declared all healthcare facilities as tobacco-free zones with prohibition on consumption of all kinds of tobacco inside the premises. It has issued orders to Collectors and chief district medical officers (CDMOs) in all districts to strictly enforce the ban with particular focus on stopping chewing of tobacco, which is a major menace in Odisha.
After implementation of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COPTA), 2003, smoking has been banned in public places including hospitals but chewing of paan, gutkha or other products is still rampant.
The move to crack down on smokeless tobacco comes in the wake of the decision taken by the governing body of Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) of Koraput district to ban sale and use of tobacco products in and around the hospital by all including visitors, attendants and staff.
“Similar steps should be taken to ensure all health institutions are made tobacco-free by prohibiting tobacco use on the campus. There should be a strict ban on sale of tobacco products in the hospital vicinity,” Health Secretary Arti Ahuja has directed the CDMOs though an official order.
Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has stressed on strict enforcement of both COPTA and Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, which have banned manufacture, sale and supply of gutkha and chewing of tobacco, along with focused monitoring at all levels. A State-level Co-ordination Committee has been constituted under Chief Secretary for the purpose.
The ban assumes significance as smokeless tobacco is the number one killer of people in Odisha.
No visitor, patient’s attendant or staff of any hospital or health centre from tertiary to primary level can consume tobacco products on the premises of the institution and violators will be dealt with an iron hand.
The State Health Department has declared all healthcare facilities as tobacco-free zones with prohibition on consumption of all kinds of tobacco inside the premises. It has issued orders to Collectors and chief district medical officers (CDMOs) in all districts to strictly enforce the ban with particular focus on stopping chewing of tobacco, which is a major menace in Odisha.
After implementation of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COPTA), 2003, smoking has been banned in public places including hospitals but chewing of paan, gutkha or other products is still rampant.
The move to crack down on smokeless tobacco comes in the wake of the decision taken by the governing body of Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) of Koraput district to ban sale and use of tobacco products in and around the hospital by all including visitors, attendants and staff.
“Similar steps should be taken to ensure all health institutions are made tobacco-free by prohibiting tobacco use on the campus. There should be a strict ban on sale of tobacco products in the hospital vicinity,” Health Secretary Arti Ahuja has directed the CDMOs though an official order.
Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has stressed on strict enforcement of both COPTA and Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, which have banned manufacture, sale and supply of gutkha and chewing of tobacco, along with focused monitoring at all levels. A State-level Co-ordination Committee has been constituted under Chief Secretary for the purpose.
The ban assumes significance as smokeless tobacco is the number one killer of people in Odisha.
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