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The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been actively working to reduce the tobacco use among the youth. Under Section 6 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 a provision has been made to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to an individual below 18 years of age. Under this Act, selling of tobacco products within 100 yards of any educational institute is prohibited. In addition to this, the Ministry released a revised Guidelines for Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) in 2019.
To create mass awareness at the grassroot level, the Ministry conducts Tobacco Free Youth Campaign every year, since 2023.
The Ministry enacted Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019 to prohibit the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertisement of electronic cigarettes and similar devices, which are harmful and has potential for initiating tobacco use amongst youth.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued ToEFI Guidelines for enacting Section 6(b) of COTPA, 2003 which restrict the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutes.
The Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education has also released ToEFI Manual to implement nine anti-tobacco activities. Compliance of the Manual is monitored by the respective State/UT Nodal Officers.
As per the Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 enacted by Ministry of Women and Child Development, giving intoxicating liquor (e.g. alcohol) or any narcotic drug or tobacco products or psychotropic substance to a child under 18 years of age, except by a doctor’s order, is prohibited and punishable.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.
