Punjab to launch 'no tobacco'campaign in academic institutions

Punjab government is set to launch an awareness campaign in academic institutions across the state to ensure strict implementation of COTPA and educate the students regarding the ill effects of tobacco products.
"The campaign would begin in third week of May and culminate on May 31 2015, which is 'World No Tobacco Day'," said Principal Secretary of the Health Department Vini Mahajan.
"Health department has decided to focus on educating students as they were vulnerable to the addiction of tobacco and this preventive campaign has been designed to educate them regarding the ill effects of these products," Mahajan said.
She said that in charge of all education institutes need to follow Tobacco Free Educational Institutes Guidelines which include ensuring no tobacco selling outlet within the 100 yards of education institutes and academics would be sensitised to make this programme a success.

Meanwhile, an awareness campaign is to be launched in all the districts to make vendors aware about the provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce,Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA), she added.
Under this campaign, strict checking in all government and private educational institutes will be done in the last week of May.
Mahajan said that to involve the students in this campaign all schools and colleges have been asked to start anti tobacco signature campaign.