India: Almost All Cigarette Shops in Mumbai Violate Law Regulating Use and Promotion of Tobacco

Source from:  Times of India  05/31/2013

Seven out of 10 shops in the city selling cigarettes and other tobacco products violate laws related to promotion of tobacco, a survey by the Salaam Bombay Foundation has found.

Conducted in 1,100 shops across all 24 wards, it found that 71% shops display brand names with shots of the tobacco products. What's more, 98% shops do not display warnings that 'sale of tobacco products to a person under the age of 18 years is a punishable offence' though the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (Cotpa) mandates so.

"We conducted the survey in the first two weeks of May to assess the status of implementation of the Cotpa rules," said Devika Chadha, programme director of Salaam Bombay Foundation. "We found that 54% shops receive cash incentives from tobacco companies for displaying their products. About 18% are also offered beautification of the shop."

To spread awareness against promotion of tobacco, the foundation, has launched a month-long campaign, 'Tambaku ke vigyapan hatao, baccho ka bhavishya bachao!' It has been designed in line with the World Health Organization's theme for World No Tobacco Day 2013 - "Ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship". Enditem