Special investigation team to implement COTPA

• The Act prohibits smoking of tobacco in public places, except in special smoking zones in hotels, restaurants and airports and open spaces
• Tobacco products cannot be sold to person below the age of 18 years, and in places within 100 metres radius from the outer boundary of an institution of education.

Mangaluru: Every year 10 lakh people in the country lose their lives to various diseases arising from tobacco use including cancer, heart related diseases and lung diseases. Taking this seriously and to prevent the citizens  of the district from falling prey to the tobacco use (chewing and smoking) as well as to effectively implement the law in the coming days, a special investigation team will be created, said DCP Uma Prashanth.

He was speaking at the workshop on Tobacco control and COTPA(Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) law for the police officials and staff which was jointly organized by the health department, district tobacco control cell in association with Mangaluru city police commissioner at the police commissioners office hall.

The resource person for the programme was tobacco specialist Dr. Jagannath P. who spoke and took class on how to control tobacco and on the part played by the police officials in the effective implementation of the law.

District tobacco control cell executive officer Dr. Rajesh B.V. spoke during the occasion and insisted that the COTPA law must be primarily implemented at school and college premises effectively and that the district tobacco control cell and the police department must jointly implement this, he said.

Serious action against violation of law

District advisor Dr. Preeta gave a concise report on tobacco control and on the law and said that in the coming days the violation of COTPA law will be taken seriously and that warning signs must be compulsorily installed at public places including bus stand, hotel, park, railway station and other places. The police were informed to impose fine for violation.