Maharashtra government asks schools to not accept sponsorships from cigarette, gutka manufacturers
As part of its efforts to protect minors from being wooed by tobacco companies, the Maharashtra government recently issued a directive to schools asking them to keep students away from events organised or sponsored by tobacco companies.
Referring to the Indian Tobacco Company Limited’s (ITC) Classmate Spell Bee, India’s largest spelling competition, that sees student participation across India, Additional Health Secretary Dr Vijay Satbir Singh said, “Schools should not accept any prize or scholarship instituted by a tobacco promoting firm.” He added that schools should not allow any institution to use a brand name or logo that is connected to tobacco products in any kind of association with the students.
Anti-tobacco crusader and oncologist at the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi said, “Two-third of all diseases and three-fourth of all lung diseases are attributed to smoking, and prevention is always better.
To remain profitable, the tobacco industry reaches out to new consumers like children and adolescents who are then unable to quit.”
Prashant Redij, spokesperson of the Maharashtra Principal Association (MPA) welcomed the decision. “As principals, it is our duty to be custodians of the health of our children, and we have to ensure that schools are not mediums of any kind of advertisements.”
In 2015, Maharashtra became the first state to implement the Section 77 of Juvenile Justice Act, which made the sale of tobacco to minors a punishable offence attracting imprisonment of up to seven years.
The first person was booked under the Act in February 2016 during the tenure of former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Enforcement) Pravin Patil. “So far 50 people have been booked. We also booked hookah parlours under it although there have been no convictions,” said Patil, who is now the Chief Security officer, Maharashtra Vidhan Mandal.
On the right track
The recently released Global Adult Tobacco Survey
(GATS-2) in India noted a drop in tobacco use among teens and adolescents:
Prevalence of tobacco use among minors aged 15-17 has a relative reduction of 54%
Among adolescents aged 18 to 24, a relative reduction of 28% was noted
There is also an increase of one year in the mean age of initiation of tobacco use from 17.9 years in GATS 1 (2009-2010) to 18.9 in GATS 2
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