Govt pulls up airport tobacco stores

Noting a violation of anti-smoking laws at airports, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airport Authority of India (AAI) and major airports in the country to ensure adherence to the rules.

The Ministry has written to the Chairman of AAI and CEO of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad that they should take appropriate steps to discourage smoking as it impacts human health as well as economy of the country.

“It has been observed that under the provisions of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement (COTPA, 2003) and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, the enabling rules are being violated at the airports, by shops selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. These shops, in contravention of the provisions of COTPA, display tobacco advertisements and are located just outside the smoking room or in food courts, thus facilitating tobacco use and also enticing non-smokers, especially children to these shops and to the smoking room,” stated Arun Kumar Jha, Economic Adviser, Union Health Ministry in his letter dated 26 May, 2017.

“In certain airports, tobacco products are also sold from shops selling souvenirs, food articles, books, and comics, etc. These shops also do not display the following signage: ‘Sale of tobacco products to a person below the age of eighteen years is a punishable offence’,” the letter said.

Recently, the Union Health Ministry issued a notification banning the use of hookah service in any smoking area or space provided for smoking and also directed that the owner, proprietor, manager, supervisor or in charge of the affairs of the hotel restaurant or airport, must display a board at the entrance of the smoking area or spaces of minimum size of 60x30 cm with a white background and having the message in English and one Indian language as applicable in black colour: “Tobacco smoking is harmful to your health and the health of non-smokers” and “Entry of person below the age of eighteen years is prohibited”

 Tobacco related diseases kill about 2,500 Indians daily and over 10 lakh every year. It is estimated that about 5,500 youth and children (as young as 8 years old), start tobacco use daily. 

Law violation

Airport shops in contravention legal provisions display tobacco advertisements and are located just outside the smoking room or in food courts
The practice is facilitating tobacco use and also enticing non-smokers ‘especially children’ to these shops and to the smoking room