Bengaluru: Cancer survivors write to PM, CM, seek amendment to COTPA

Bengaluru: Cancer survivors have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Health Minister Dr Harshvardhan, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa and State Health Minister Dr Sudhakar, urging them to amend COTPA, impose/implement ban on tobacco sales, smoking and spitting in public places.

In their letter on Tuesday, cancer survivors have pointed out that as per World Health Organisation (WHO), smokers are at high risk of developing severe complications when infected with coronavirus and demanded a ban on all public smoking areas and enforce the spitting ban.

"Corona second wave has wreaked havoc in the country and Karnataka. Experts have predicted a third wave and future waves to hit India. Smokers are at greater risk of hospital admission, need for ventilators, ICUs and even death due to Covid-19. Chewing tobacco products increases saliva production and when the user spits it out, he/she spreads germs and viruses. People who are nearby can inhale it or touch the contaminated surface, get infected and fuel Covid-19 spread," said Nalini Satyanarayana, a cancer survivor and health activist.

"We appreciate the government's measures to curb the Covid-19 spread in the country by ramping up vaccination, oxygen supply, testing and ensuring other essential supplies but also wish to draw their attention to the lethal combination of tobacco and Covid-19," Nalini added.

Renowned oncologist Dr Vishal Rao, who is also the member of Karnataka's High Power Committee on Tobacco Control, said that, "Current provisions of The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) allow the setting up of Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) at restaurants, pubs, bars and airports. But it should be noted that Covid appropriate behaviour like wearing of masks and social distancing cannot be followed in DSAs. As the droplets can survive in closed chambers like DSAs they can be super-spreaders of Covid-19."

Some of the major demands of the cancer survivors and experts to the government which is gearing up to handle the third wave are: ban all public smoking areas at hotels, bars, clubs and airports and impose a ban on hookah bars, introduce licensing for tobacco sales (vendor licensing) to reduce the accessibility and exposure to tobacco products and enforce the ban on chewing tobacco products to curb public spitting.

"Karnataka already has imposed a ban on spitting in public places. But it must be enforced by slapping fines on the violators. Designated Smoking Areas do more harm than good. It has to be banned once for all by amending COTPA," said Dr Vijayalakshmi Balekundri, renowned cardiologist and member of Cardiologist Association of India.

Dr Vijayalakshmi who is also the honorary advisor of Consortium for Tobacco Free Karnataka said, "By taking these simple measures, Covid-19 spread can be checked to a great extent. As the State is gradually being unlocked, it is the right time for the government to consider banning DSAs and amend COTPA."