Lok Sabha Question No. 948 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-08
Subject: Consumption of Tobacco by School Children
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 948 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8TH DECEMBER 2023

## CONSUMPTION OF TOBACCO BY SCHOOLCHILDREN

## 948. SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE: SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the incidences of tobacco consumption by school going children as young as 10 years old as reported in the Global Youth Survey Report;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to protect such children from the harmful effects of tobacco products;
- (d) whether the Government has received proposals / representations to tackle such deadly addiction to tobacco consumption among children; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (PROF. S.P. SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (e): Fourth round of Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4), 2019 was conducted for the school-going children in the age group of 13-15 years. As per the (GYTS 4), 2019 Report, the median age at initiation of cigarette and bidi smoking, and smokeless tobacco use were 11.5 years, 10.5 years and 9.9 years respectively.

The government has taken various steps to protect such children from the harmful effects of tobacco products. Some of the major steps are as under;

-  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 COTP Amendment Rules, 2011, there is prohibition on sale of tobacco products to and by persons below the age of 18 years. The Section 6 (b) of COTPA, 2003, prohibits sale of tobacco products in an area within a radius of one hundred yards of any educational institution .
-  The Ministry has also issued the ' Guidelines for Tobacco Free Educational Institution (Revised)' for effective implementation of Section-6 of COTPA, 2003, on 31 st May, 2019; States are taking effective measures with Education departments for implementation of these Guidelines.
-  Public Health is a State subject and the primary responsibility for enforcement of the Act, lies with the State Governments. The State Governments undertake enforcement drives for effective implementation of these provisions of COTPA, 2003.
-  Regular and sustained awareness is carried out about the adverse effects of tobacco usage on health through various anti-tobacco campaigns.To accelerate the efforts towards tobacco control, Government launched National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in 2007-08 to discourage the use of tobacco with special emphasis on protection of children and young people; create awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption through regular and sustained public awareness campaigns.
-  Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched a 60 days Tobacco Free Youth Campaign on the World No Tobacco Day on 31 st May, 2023. The campaign was successfully implemented from 31 st May to 31 st July, 2023 by all States and UTs to create intensive mass awareness on harmful effects of tobacco use, particularly amongst the youth and rural communities.
-  The Government has also enacted 'T he Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019 ' on 5 th December, 2019 to protect the youth from getting addicted to nicotine.

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