Cuttack Police committed to implement COTPA effectively

 

To tackle the tobacco menace, Cuttack Police was sensitized and trained on implementation of The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) on 4th March 2020. Shri Radha Binod Panigrahi Superintendent of Police, Cuttack organized a training program on COTPA in collaboration with Alamelu Charitable Foundation (ACF) supported by Tata Trusts and Sambandh Health Foundation (SHF).  All SHOs attended the training.

 

It is to be mentioned that the COTPA prohibits smoking in public places, direct/indirect advertising and promotion, sale to/by minors, and its implementation will help reduce the tobacco menace.

Police’s role will save number of lives especially the access to youth.

Superintendent of Police Shri Radha Binod Panigrahi said, “A product which kills 46000 people every year in Odisha is a crime against humanity. We will ensure effective implementation of COTPA in the district. Today’s training by SHF has helped us understand the magnitude of the problem. It is extremely important to prevent youth from such deadly addictions.”

 

Dr Dilip Kar, Cancer Surgeon from Kalinga Hospital and Voice of Tobacco Victims (VoTV) Patron said, “It is appreciable that Police has committed today to implement COTPA. Access to these products by youth must be stopped and we can play a significant role when these are punishable by law when these are sold within 100 yards of an educational institution. I am a cancer surgeon myself and have seen families being destroyed due to tobacco. This all can be prevented as 50% of all cancers and 90% of oral cancers are caused by tobacco.”

Odisha has 1.5 crore tobacco users and an estimated 46,000 die every year due to tobacco use. According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2016-17, in Odisha 45.6% of the population people (aged 15+) consume tobacco in some or the other form. Of these 7% smoke cigarettes, bidi and 42.9 (1.4 crore) use smokeless tobacco.

 

Dr Asim Padhan from ACF supported by Tata Trusts, Pramod Kumar from SHF were also present for the training program.