Cancer survivors demand ban on tobacco sales

Bengaluru: To fight Corona’s third wave and future waves, Cancer survivors from Bengaluru have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and State Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar seeking amendment to Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) – 2003, impose/ implement ban on tobacco sales, smoking and spitting in public places. 

In their letter dated June 22, they have pointed out that as per World Health Organisation (WHO), smokers were at high risk of developing severe complications when confronted with Coronavirus and demanded a ban on all public smoking areas and enforce the spitting ban. “Corona’s second wave has wreaked havoc across the nation. Experts have predicted a third wave and future waves to hit India. Smokers are at greater risk for hospital admission, need for ventilators, ICUs and even death due to COVID-19. Chewing tobacco products increases saliva production and when the user spits it out, he/ she spreads germs and viruses. People who are nearby can inhale it or touch the contaminated surface, get infected and fuel COVID-19 spread,” said Nalini Satyanarayana, a cancer survivor and health activist.

Renowned Oncologist Dr. Vishal Rao, who is also the member of Karnataka’s High Power Committee on Tobacco Control, said: “Current provisions of COTPA allows the setting up of Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) at restaurants, pubs, bars and airports. But it should be noted that COVID appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and social distancing cannot be followed in DSAs. As the droplets can survive in closed chambers like DSAs they can be super-spreaders of  COVID 19.”