MPs urge govt to strengthen 'tobacco control policies'

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to have dialogue on various strategies with focus on strengthening the national and State policies, and building a conducive environment for reducing tobacco consumption and improving the public health situation, Coalition for Tobacco-Free Odisha, an alliance of civil society organisations and concerned citizens organised a State- level consultation programme - 'Improving public health by strengthening COTPA and Tobacco Control Policies' here recently.

In the programme, parliamentarians urged the Centre and the State to take focus action on controlling tobacco consumption in the country and the State.

In an urge to focus on laws for tobacco display in films and OTT, RS member Prasant Kumar Nanda said, "with the introduction of digital platforms, the exposure to display of tobacco has increased. There is no limit to the display of such harmful products, be it cigarette, tobacco, or alcohol. The OTT platforms specifically are the major platforms to publicise tobacco, as there is no censor. I urge the policymakers to come up with laws to prohibit the visualisation of tobacco in these mediums as there is no limit to the audience of these platforms"

Highlighting tobacco consumption among children, another RS member Mizibulla Khan said' "Tobacco and cigarette are very hazardous to health. Children these days are seen consuming tobacco as it is easily available. They are the future of our nation and protecting them from such hazards is protecting the future. We need to ensure that children are away from this. I have never consumed tobacco, as I understand the consequences of it. For the people of Odisha, I will bring this issue in Parliament along with others and do my best to strengthen the tobacco control policies."

Participating through a video message, RS MP Sujeet Kumar said "I am glad to be a part of the ambitious drive to make Odisha tobacco-free. I will do my duty as a parliamentarian. We need to ensure proper sensitisation on damage due to tobacco in schools, colleges and public places and also the law enforcing agencies needs to be sensitised so as to enforce the laws effectively."

He said the consultation process will go a long way to achieve the goal. The MP appealed to all stakeholders, including Panchayat Raj Institutions, to get involved in this public health issue and make Odisha tobacco-free.

Highlighting the consequences of tobacco consumption, Dr Krupasindhu Panda, oncologist, HCG Panda Cancer Hospital, said, "Death is inevitable, but we should not die an unnatural death of our own hands. There are 4Cs causing unnatural death which are cardiac arrest, casualty, corona and cancer. With tobacco consumption, oral cancer has now become the most occurred cancer diagnosed among people."

"The health issues caused by tobacco are pre-term birth, intrauterine growth retardation, prenatal mortality, respiratory illness, neurobehavioral problem, childhood disorder, cancer, depression," he added. He suggested remedies on getting rid of tobacco consumption, like awareness, ban on tobacco at workplace, tobacco policies for labourers, new strategies and development in policies.

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty, VC of Khalikote University, Ranjit Kumar Singh, advocate, Supreme Court, Dr Minakshi Panda, educationist and Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, secretary, PECUC, spoke.