Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss announced today (9th Sept’08) that ‘smoking cessation clinics’ would be set up across the country in all the private and public medical colleges and another 600 clinics would be set up, in the next two years, in hospitals of district headquarters.
As reported by this reporter vide article https://www.groundreport.com/Lifestyle/New-Smoking-Rules-in-India-to-Limit-Smoking, the new smoking regulations that would come into effect from 2nd October’08, will outlaw smoking in all public places including work places, shopping centers, cinemas, pubs, bars, discotheques, restaurants and coffee houses.
The new rule authorize school college teachers, librarians, postmasters, station managers, human resource managers at work places and airlines officials among others to impose and collect a fine of Rs.200/- ($5 USD) per violation- from offenders in the case of violation of smoking rules.
As per a pilot scheme under World Health Organization, 18 smoking cessation clinics were set up in select Indian cities four years ago. These clinics have reported quit rate at an average of 15 to 20 percent without any nicotine replacement therapy.
Ramadoss said tobacco control measures would also focus on school children to scare them away from tobacco, as a national survey this year has shown that about 13% children in the 13-16 year age group consume tobacco by smoking or chewing.
Under the new rules, pictorial warnings- a pair of diseased lungs- will appear on all tobacco product from 1st December’08. The government would also lunch a public awareness campaign to highlight myriad dangers of tobacco consumption.