Ranchi, Oct 30: The National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi, in collaboration with the Socio Economic and Educational Development Society (SEEDS), Jharkhand, organised a state-level multi-stakeholder workshop on Friday to strengthen the enforcement of tobacco control laws and protect children and young people from tobacco and nicotine addiction.
The workshop focused on the effective implementation of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, and the Jharkhand COTPA Amendment Act, 2021. It brought together government officials, public health experts, legal professionals, enforcement agencies, academic institutions and civil society representatives to discuss strategies for improving compliance and preventing tobacco use among young people.
Dr. Avinash Sunthlia, a senior official from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, attended the programme as the special guest. Highlighting the importance of initiatives such as the NTCP and the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign, he said protecting children and young people from tobacco and nicotine addiction was a national priority. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts to prevent tobacco initiation among children and adolescents and ensure effective enforcement of existing laws.
NUSRL Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Ashok R. Patil welcomed the participants and said tobacco addiction was not merely a health issue but a serious social challenge linked to the nation’s future. He emphasised legal awareness, institutional responsibility and effective enforcement mechanisms to address the problem.
Anuj Kumar Prasad, Joint Secretary in the State Health Department and Additional Food Safety Commissioner, highlighted the need for robust laws, strict enforcement and active participation of young people in creating a tobacco-free generation. He particularly stressed preventing the sale of tobacco products to minors, enforcing restrictions on tobacco sales near educational institutions and ensuring compliance with guidelines for tobacco-free educational institutions.
Advocate Ranjit Singh of the Supreme Court of India discussed key provisions of COTPA, 2003, and the Jharkhand COTPA Amendment Act, 2021. He outlined the responsibilities of enforcement agencies and stressed that strict laws, effective action and public participation were essential to building a tobacco-free generation.
Dr. Amit Yadav, Deputy Director of Vital Strategies, spoke about the challenges involved in protecting children and young people from tobacco and nicotine addiction, underlining the importance of preventive measures.
A key feature of the workshop was a multi-stakeholder panel discussion involving representatives from the Health, Police, Education, Urban Development, Panchayati Raj and Food Safety departments, along with legal institutions and civil society organisations.
The discussion focused on strengthening enforcement around educational institutions, preventing the sale of tobacco products to minors, curbing tobacco advertising and promotion, improving compliance with existing laws and enhancing coordination among government departments at state and district levels.
The workshop also deliberated on future priorities, including stronger inter-departmental coordination, effective implementation of the Jharkhand COTPA Amendment Act, 2021, and greater emphasis on protecting children and adolescents from tobacco and nicotine addiction.
Participants included members of the Alliance of Tobacco-Free Jharkhand and nodal officers from the health, education, food safety and police departments representing various districts of the state.
The programme concluded with a call for collective responsibility among government agencies, educational institutions, enforcement bodies, families and society to strengthen awareness and enforcement efforts towards a tobacco-free generation in Jharkhand.
