Notice to state over its failure to curb sale of drugs and tobacco

Two Mumbaibased lawyers have issued notice to the state government for its failure to curb the easy accessibility of drugs and tobacco and its growing addiction among the youth Lawyers Abid Abbas Sayyed and Saif Alam have directed their legal notice to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra the health minister the DGP the Mumbai police commissioner and the FDAThe notice emphasises the ill effects health hazards and addiction associated with tobacco pointing out the failure to control its illegal sale The lawyers have drawn the attention of the government to the sale of smuggled cigarettes from abroad and availability of banned gutkaThe legal notice also highlights a broader concern asserting that both the government and the police machinery in the state have failed to effectively control the sale of drugs Recent raids and seizures in Thane Navi Mumbai and Mumbai on December 31 serve as evidence underscoring the urgent need for intervention and enforcement measures the duo stressedThe legal notice dated January 1 stated ldquoThe increasing use of tobacco in developing countries is contributing immensely to the rising burden of tobaccorelated illnesses and premature deaths The alarming increase in the use of tobacco among children adults and other vulnerable sections of societies represents a great concern to public health at local and the national level Tobacco is becoming one of the single biggest causes of death worldwide India is especially impacted by the tobacco epidemic with its geographically diverse and heterogeneous smokeless and smoking forms of tobacco userdquo The notice revealed that there are almost 275 million tobacco users in India Among the adult age group of 15 years and above over onethird that is 35 per cent of the population use tobacco products with 48 per cent of males and 20 per cent of females using some form of tobaccordquo The notice further stated ldquoEffective comprehensive tobacco control laws that can impact reduced consumption are neededrdquoTalking to midday advocate Saif Alam said ldquoThe Cigarettes Regulation of Production Supply and Distribution Act 1975 mandated the display of a statutory health warning on all packages and advertisements of cigarettes However the Cigarettes Act of 1975 fell short as it lacked comprehensive coverage and had weak provisions Subsequently the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production Supply and Distribution 2003 COTPA was introducedrdquo According to Saif Alam COTPA serves as the primary law governing tobacco control in India offering a more comprehensive approach by encompassing all tobacco products including cigarettesrdquoAlam said ldquoThe purpose of this law is to safeguard and enhance public health by incorporating evidencebased strategies to reduce tobacco consumption The Act predates Indiarsquos endorsement of the World Health Organization WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on February 5 2004 As a significant move in the antitobacco campaign the Government of Maharashtra banned the manufacturing sale and distribution of gutka and pan masala These items were classified as food under the purview of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 FSSA The ban enforced in July 2012 received additional support when the Bombay High Court upheld it extending the prohibition until July 2014 in MaharashtrardquoThe duo has referenced the 201617 Global Adult Tobacco Survey in their notice highlighting that every fourth youth in Maharashtra consumes tobacco Advocate Alam said ldquoAccording to data from the Directorate of Health and Services spanning from 2016 to March 2022 approximately 10 lakh patients with a history of tobacco consumption have been registered in hospitals and centers of MaharashtraThrough their legal notice Alam and Sayyed have demanded a proper action plan by the police and a new legislation to be framed by the state government Alam said ldquoNumerous raids have been conducted in the past few years and months However during New Yearrsquos Eve the scrutiny intensifies leading to many reported incidents and seizures This implies a substantial presence of drugs and rave parties are prevalent in Mumbai and its surrounding areas Recent news and surveys underscore the magnitude of this activity as many adults have tragically lost their lives due to the overuse of these drugs Despite one route being blocked these drug peddlers often find alternative ways to maintain their supply chain It is crucial for the police and the narcotics control authority of the state to remain active daily and conduct raids consistently Given that many of these dealers reside in Mumbairsquos slums it becomes imperative to trace and punish them stringentlyrdquo10lakhNo of patients registered in statersquos hospital and centers over six years