Tobacco products containing nicotine glut market

ACT FLOUTED

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Sales, storage and transportation of all tobacco substances containing nicotine as an ingredient are prohibited. Yet sales of these substances go unabated under the very nose of the district authorities.

The State government enacted the Assam Health (Prohibition of Manufacturing, Advertisement, Sales and Consumption of Zarda, Gutkha, Pan Masala etc.,) Act in 2013. Accordingly, the State government instructed the district administrations concerned to form their respective monitoring cells to ensure the prohibition. Sadly enough, every pan shop in the state sells all such substances as there has been no mechanism for monitoring to prohibit them.

When asked, a few pan shop owners said that "they sell the products as the wholesalers supply them regularly". They added that "they know little about the prohibitory Act".

According to a survey, the tobacco business in the state is worth around Rs 550 crore. The customers are among all sections of society, especially in the 15-30-year group. Twenty-five per cent of the customers in the state are women. Around 24 per cent of the customers consume 'Khaini, Sadha or Gutkha'.

Talking to this reporter, a senior doctor said, "Tobacco consumption leads to oral cancer. We receive many such cases, irrespective of their ages. The government should prohibit tobacco substances strictly. The worst is that school-going children are getting addicted to such substances."

Talking to The Sentinel, Consumers Legal Protection Forum (CLPF) secretary Ajoy Hazarika said, "We liaise with the Health Department, the district authorities, the GMC etc., on the sales of tobacco products that contain nicotine, for taking action as per the relevant Act. We are staging awareness drives against such substances."

On August 1, 2019, the Health Commissioner wrote to the GDD (Guwahati Development Department, the UDD (Urban Development Department) and the P&RD (Panchayat & Rural Development) Department, and requested them to develop a mechanism to provide permission/vendor licences to retail shops selling tobacco products. However, the 'mechanism' is yet to come up.

On January 12, 2021, the Commissioner of Food Safety issued a notification stating that 'Gutkha, pan masala or any other chewing materials containing tobacco/nicotine are injurious to human health… The sales of gutkha, pan masala etc., available in the market are hereby prohibited in the state for one year."

The government has waged war against drugs. Tobacco products containing nicotine are not less harmful than drugs. However, the administration and district authorities are not laying the right thrust to prevent their sales in the state. Such products have glutted the market.

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