Lok Sabha Question No. 63 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Tobacco Shops in School Vicinity
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 63 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

## Tobacco Shops in School Vicinity

## †63. SHRIMATI RANJANBEN DHANANJAY BHATT:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether it is a fact that due to the presence of tobacco shops near the schools in different part of the country including Delhi, children are getting addicted to tobacco;
- (b)  if so, whether the Government is considering to take any concrete steps in this regard; and
- (c)   if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a)  to  (c):  Central  Government  has  enacted  the  Cigarettes  and  other  Tobacco  Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COPTA 2003), to discourage use of tobacco, with emphasis on protection of children and young people from being addicted to the use of tobacco. As per Section 6 (a) of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation  of  Trade  and  Commerce,  Production,  Supply  and  Distribution)  Act,  2003 (COTPA,  2003) read with Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Amendment Rules, 2011, there is prohibition on sale of tobacco products to and by persons below the age of 18 years and as per Section 6 (b) of COTPA, 2003, there is prohibition on sale of tobacco products in an area within a radius of one hundred yards of any educational institution.

Revised  Guidelines  for  'Tobacco  free  Educational  Institutions  (TOFEI)'  have  been developed  by  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  for  effective  implementation  of Section-6 of COPTA, 2003. The guidelines were circulated to all States/UTs by Department of  School  Education  and  Literacy  for  effective  implementation  of  these  guidelines  in  all educational institutions vide letter dated 17.09.2019  and  reiterated vide letters dated 18.12.2020, 08.01.2021 and 07.07.2022. These guidelines lay down the roles & responsibilities  of  different  stakeholders'  viz.  Central  Government:  State  Governments: Educational  Institutions  and  Civil  Society  Organization  for  making  Educational  Institution tobacco free. Public Health is a State subject and the primary responsibility for enforcement of the Act lies with the State Governments.

Further,  under  the  School  Health  and  Wellness  Programme  (SHP)  under  Ayushman Bharat, special classes and experiential learning activities like Role Play, Folk Dance, Poster making, Creative writing, Debate, Discussion and Skill Building activities are organised with school  students  for  awareness  generation  on  issues  related  to  tobacco,  drug  /  substance misuse.  The  Central  Board  of  Secondary  Education  (CBSE)  has  introduced  Life-Skills education as a part of curriculum in the schools affiliated to it. Life-skills enable students to abstain  from  tobacco  and  other  addictive  substances.  CBSE  schools  follow  textbooks  of NCERT which have content related to drug abuse including the ill effects of tobacco in the syllabus  of  Classes  VIII,  XI  and  XII.  CBSE  has  also  been  issuing  periodic  circulars  to schools affiliated to it for sensitizing all students about ill-effects of tobacco.

In addition, 'Guidelines on School Safety and Security' developed by the Department, inter-alia, contain provisions for fixing the accountability of school management,  various  stakeholders  and  different  departments  in  ensuring  the  safety  and security  of  children  studying  in  Government  Schools,  Government-Aided  Schools  and Private  Schools.  These  guidelines  are  advisory  in  nature  and  inter-alia  include  roles  & responsibility  of  School/School  Management for taking necessary action in case of sale of tobacco  or  any  other  intoxicating  substances  is  noticed  within  100  yards  of  the  school premises.

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