No Smoking Day: Doctors, cancer victims urge govt to remove designated rooms in hotels, airports
PTC News Desk: No Smoking Day is observed on the second Wednesday in March to raise awareness about the harmful effects of smoking. No Smoking Day began in the United Kingdom in 1984 as a campaign to raise awareness about the health risks of smoking and encourage smokers to quit.
On No Smoking Day, doctors, cancer victims, and hotel associations urged the government to eliminate designated smoking areas in hotels, restaurants, and airports to protect people from secondhand smoke.
While applauding the government for initiating the process of amending COTPA 2003 and setting a goal of making India smoke-free, they called for the immediate removal of the current provision that allows smoking areas.
Smoking affects lung function and lowers immunity. All designated smoking areas in hotels, restaurants, and even airports should be removed to ensure a smoke-free environment.
Dr. Harit Chaturvedi, chairman of the Max Institute of Cancer Care says, "Most of these designated smoking areas are rarely compliant with COTPA requirements, putting our public at great health risk from secondhand smoke."
Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act (COTPA) of 2003 prohibits smoking in all public places in India. Section 4 of this Act prohibits smoking in public places.
However, COTPA 2003 currently permits smoking in designated smoking areas of public places such as restaurants, hotels, and airports.
"As cigarette smoke seeps from smoking areas into common areas, the COTPA should be amended to prohibit smoking on any premises. All places should be completely smoke-free in the best interests of public health," said Nalini Satyanarayan, a passive smoking victim and health activist.
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