Tobacco Control Program

1.       Act :-

a)      Tobacco Control Act 2003 (COTPA)

b)      Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places

c) Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products  Amendment Rules(2012)

d) Permanent Ban on Hookah bars in the state

National Tobacco Control Programme:-
The Punjab State is implementing the “Cigarettes and other tobacco products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and distribution) Act, 2003” and Rules in letter and spirit. The following steps have been taken so far:
Challans: - 23,853 Challans (Year 2018-19) and 2029 Challans in April have been done against the violators
Tobacco Cessation Centers: - Tobacco Cessation centers have been established in all the districts of the state. Free cessation medicines like Tab Burpropion, Nicotine gums and patches are being provided in these centers. Equipments like Spirometers and Carbon Monoxide Monitors have been provided at these centers
Ban on E cigarettes: - Punjab was the first state to declare Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) popularly known as e-cigarettes as an unapproved drug in 2013 under Drugs & Cosmetics Act. Two Court cases in Districts Mohali (Fine 1 lakh & 3 yrs imprisonment) and Sangrur (Fine Rs 55,000 & 3 yrs imprisonment) have already been decided and sellers of E cigarettes were penalized under Drug and Cosmetic Act. (New Circular as per GOI Advisory issued on 3/10/2018)
Permanent Ban on Hookah bars: A bill introduced by the Health department to permanently ban Hookah/Hookah bars in the state of Punjab has been passed by the Legislative assembly and approved by The President of India. (Notification dated 18th Sept 2018)
 Ban on Chewable Tobacco Products:- Notification dated 9/10/2018 has been issued by GOP regarding prohibition on manufacture, storage, sale or distribution of "Gutkha", "Pan Masala", Processed/Flavoured/Scented chewing tobacco and any other Food products, containing Tobacco or Nicotine. Each FSOs to take five samples per month.
NTCP collaborations with other Programme :-
TB & Tobacco Collaboration:- National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) and Central TB Division (CTD) have jointly developed the ‘National Framework for Joint TB-Tobacco
Collaborative Activities’ in 2018. For the implementation of the scheme on pilot basis in Punjab, Ministry has chosen three districts Sangrur, Kapurthala & SAS Nagar.

Tobacco & NCD:- STCC in collaboration with School of Public Health, PGIMER implementing the project in districts Fatehgarh and Mohali on Pilot basis. A booklet on Tobacco- NCD control prepared by State Tobacco Control cell in collaboration with School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh released during PSNTD.
 Tobacco & Oral Health:-
Tobacco cessation services are being provided by the dental surgeons in all the district hospitals
Screening for oral cancer and precancerous lesions in dental OPDs: - In Feb 2019 (Dental Fortnight), total of 66,108 patients were examined during the screening, Out of which 3515 patients (5.31 %) were the smoking/smokeless tobacco users. Oral lesions were detected in 1428 tobacco users (40.6%). Total 69 (4.83%) suspected patients were referred to higher centers for comprehensive evaluation and treatment.
World No Tobacco Day:- Further, in first of a kind initiative anywhere in India, the state has conducted a two month long special campaign in 2019. Extensive Anti-Tobacco awareness activities were done in major cities and villages of all the districts of Punjab. Competitions and awareness activities regarding ill effects of the tobacco were conducted in schools. 
National Tobacco Control Program
Punjab State No Tobacco Day: - PUNJAB STATE NO TOBACCO DAY” is celebrated all over Punjab on 1st November every year with different theme each year. This year at district level, Yellow line campaign was launched. During the campaign, total 462 schools have been covered where a yellow line indicating Tobacco Free zone was drawn at hundred yards from the school.
Tobacco Free Villages: - In the state, total 729 villages covering a total population of 10.93 lakhs has declared themselves Tobacco Free Villages by passing the resolution in 2017-18.
Ban on Smoking and Spitting at Public places under Section 268, 269 and 278 of IPC, 1860.
Nodal Officers Police department: - Total 28 Police officials at the rank of DSP or above have been appointed as Nodal officer for Tobacco Control in the State.
Prevalence of Tobacco use in Punjab:- As per the Global Adult Tobacco survey 2 (2016-17) report, 13.4% of population in Punjab uses tobacco in any form. However, according to the NFHS-4 survey (2015-16) conducted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab has lowest prevalence of 9.65% tobacco use in country. The Goal of 15% prevalence for year 2018-19 has already been achieved by the state.
International Recognition:- Abstracts/Papers from State Tobacco Control Cell were presented at International conferences like Barcelona, Spain 2014, Liverpool, England 2016, Cape Town 2015, Panama 2016, NCTOH Mumbai, Mexico 2017, Cape Town South Africa 2018, Bali, Indonesia 2018, Hague , Netherlands and Izmir, Turkey 2018, NCTOH Mumbai 2019.