In Bengaluru, a coalition of National Service Scheme volunteers, citizens, and civil society organizations has launched a campaign to gather discarded cigarette and beedi butts, aiming to draw attention to widespread public smoking. They are urging the Union government to revise the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
The initiative, spearheaded by the Consortium for Tobacco-Free Karnataka, commenced on Thursday with a ceremonial launch by former MP and retired IPS officer HT Sangliana, former Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun, and Dr. K Ravi, dean and director of the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute.
The three-week drive will conclude on World No-Tobacco Day, May 31, at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, where the amassed cigarette and beedi butts will be exhibited. Members of Parliament will be invited, and a memorandum will be presented, urging parliamentary action on the pervasive issue of public smoking and the passage of the COTPA amendment bill.
COTPA, enacted in 2003, prohibits smoking in public places, with a meager fine of Rs 200 for violations. Sangliana emphasized the need for a COTPA amendment after almost two decades, citing flagrant violations of the rule and the threat posed to innocents through passive smoking. The campaign aims to prompt the Union government to prioritize public health by amending COTPA 2003.
Gangambike highlighted the dangers of tobacco, especially for children and youths influenced by tobacco advertising. She advocated raising the legal age for tobacco use from 18 to 21, implementing stringent regulations with substantial fines, a measure achievable through strengthening COTPA via an amendment.
Dr. Ramesh Bilimagga, an oncologist and president of the Consortium for Tobacco-Free Karnataka, underscored the World No-Tobacco Day 2022 theme, “Tobacco: Threat to our environment.” He urged citizens to participate by collecting cigarette and beedi butts, emphasizing the importance of passing the COTPA Amendment Bill 2020 during the upcoming monsoon session. The proposed amendments include a Rs 2,000 fine for public smoking, raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco to 21, and prohibiting the loose sale of cigarettes.
