Anti tobacco campaign.

                     Anti tobacco campaign

Despite COTPA,2003 (Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act), people are still consuming tobacco product in public . We should come forward to ensure the strict compliance of the COTPA 2003 in order to make the city smoke free. It is the duty of the every citizen to make the people aware about the ill effects of the tobacco & motivate them to discourage the use of tobacco in every walk of life. It is clear that the nicotine present in tobacco products causes blockage of arteries in the brain & heart which causes strokes & other serious ailments in the body. Keeping in view of the health hazards, people should think twice before using it. & inspire the people to quit this bad habit. Rajasthan Govt. has made commendable efforts to control the use of tobacco product right from imposing the ban on Gutkha  to increasing the VAT on tobacco products. Besides this Medical & Health services provided the free medicines & nicotine chewing gum to tobacco consumers to quit the habit of smoking & chewing tobacco. We also appreciate the proposals of the Govt. recently sent to the department of personnel to take an undertaking from the successful candidates before joining government jobs that they would not consume tobacco. For promotion of policy or legislation and advocacy to enhance tobacco control, Govt. has also increased the VAT 65% besides the 18% of excise duty. In spite of Govt efforts for anti tobacco drive it is lamentable to note that  workplaces of Govt witnessing widespread & unrestricted use of tobacco product taking place under the nose of various Heads of the departments, but they seems to be comfortable with this despite the known policy of the Govt regarding eliminating it. All the addicts of tobacco especially working in Govt. jobs keep on using it audaciously for which no disciplinary action is taken by the department. The unbridled use of tobacco in the offices not only makes the office environment loathsome & repellent but also makes it hell to the fellow colleagues who have to work with them. Each basket is found lying under the table with spitted gutkha saliva. Even the wall & corner of the offices are not safe from the gutkha laced sputum which make the office painting town of careless gutkha spitting. The persons working in the offices donot hesitate to leave the half chewed tobacco  leaves even on the table, files & important papers which portray the story of the Gutkha & tobacco users which is a common sight of almost every office. To eliminate the use of gutkha & other tobacco product entirely from the Govt. offices, it is essential that Govt. should put in place certain mandatory norms for the officers as well as the employees to refrain from these addictions failing which reverse entry in the annual appraisal could be made for using the tobacco product in the offices.