Bhubaneswar: Nasha Mukti Yuva Sankalp-NMYS has submitted the memorandum to the Commissioner cum Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Services and Director Health Services, Government of Odisha appealing to implement the anti tobacco legislation COTPA, 2003 during the Asian Athletic Championship to be held in Bhubaneswar. The section 4 of COTPA, 2003 prohibits the smoking in public places which also includes stadiums.
While submitting the memorandum, the member of NMYS and anti tobacco Activist Md. Imran Ali mentioned that tobacco has become a threat to development as said by World Health Organization this year on account of World No Tobacco Day, 2017. Tobacco is the major preventable cause of cancer in the world. And it attributes 2500 deaths of Indians per day which is larger than the deaths caused by Malaria and HIV put together. It kills 60 lakhs of people globally every year. Tobacco consumption has made India to be capital of mouth cancer in the world.
And another concern is that tobacco has largely affected and attracted to the youths globally, thus, let the Asian Athletic Championship be a tobacco/smoke free one which will give the world a beautiful message against tobacco! No doubt it will increase the prestige of our state and Nation in the world. As we know that India is the signatory country of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. As per Indian tobacco control legislation-COTPA, the stadium is already a smoke free zone; no smoking is possible in the premises of any stadium, the violation of the Act invites penalty upto Rs. 200. Let the government ensure the mandate under this law. By ensuring “Smoke Free Stadium”, the organizers can also avoid the risk of fire tragedy during the championship. Apart from it, if no tobacco product is allowed inside the field, it will help to have a cleanly atmosphere without spiting patches, has been highlighted by Md. Imran Ali to the government.
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