Punjab Government has initiated a drive to eradicate tobacco use to save children and for tobacco-free workplaces. Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that Punjab is the first state in the country to celebrate a state specific “Punjab State No Tobacco Day” on November 1. The theme of the campaign is “Tobacco Free Workplaces”.
The objective of this campaign regarding is to make all the offices tobacco-free and to protect non-users from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke at workplaces.
He said that a special week long campaign about “Punjab State No Tobacco Day” will be launched from November 1 to 7, 2020, for declaring all the government offices as tobacco free and for strict implementation of the anti–tobacco laws.
The minister informed that all 22 districts in the state have been declared as tobacco smoke free. “During 2019-20, around 21,581 challans were issued against the violators under Cigarette and other Tobacco products Act, 2003 (COTPA, 2003). Tobacco Cessation centres have been established in all the districts and free counselling services and cessation medicines such as Tab Bupropion, Nicotine gums and patches are being provided in these centres,” he said. He urged all the citizens of the state on “Punjab State No Tobacco Day” not to use or spit tobacco in public places as it is prohibited under section 268, 269 & 278 of the Indian Penal Code and a strict action will be taken against the violators.
