Central govt urged to remove ‘smoking rooms’ at public places

Former Indian badminton player P Gopichand in the release also urged the Central Government to introduce amendments in COTPA in order to save the youth of the country

Hyderabad: On the eve of World Health Day, noted personalities from all walks of life have urged the Central Government to remove designated smoking rooms at hotels/restaurants and airports to protect people from second-hand smoke.

While appreciating the government for initiating the process to amend COTPA 2003, they appealed for immediate removal of the current provision that permits smoking areas to make India 100 per cent smoke free and check the spread of Covid-19 infection.

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All designated smoking areas which are rarely compliant as per COTPA requirements and actually put public at great health risk from exposure to secondhand smoke, should be abolished, Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Head Neck Cancer Surgeon, Tata Memorial Hospital said.

In India, smoking is banned in all public areas as per the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act COTPA 2003. However, at present the Act allows smoking in designated smoking areas.

Former Indian badminton player P Gopichand in the release also urged the Central Government to introduce amendments in COTPA in order to save the youth of the country from the menace of tobacco products.

Member of Parliament, Ramapati Ram Tripathi said, “There is an urgent need to strengthen the provisions for making India 100 per cent smoke free and protect millions from tobacco related diseases and deaths.”

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