Govt gets tough on sale of tobacco products to minors

ITANAGAR, Aug 13: The state government has issued an order stating that “no person shall sell, offer for sale, or permit sale of cigarette or other tobacco products to any person who is under 18 years of age and in an area within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institution.”
The government originally issued the order on 29 July (vide order No SEDN/222/2019/1184) and circulated it to all deputy commissioners, DDSEs, the elementary education, secondary education and higher & technical education directorates, and all officers
of the education department, including ISSE, for compliance as per the provisions of Section 6 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.
It said the union health & family welfare ministry has issued guidelines for free educational institutions to ensure effective implementation of the COTPA’s section, and to protect the vulnerable population, especially children, from exposure to tobacco use.