Centre asks states to run special drives enforcing anti-smoking rules

THE Centre has directed all states to undertake special drives to enforce rules banning smoking in public places, prohibiting the advertisement of tobacco products and prohibiting the sale of tobacco products without statutory pictorial warnings to observe World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

- KAVITA BAJELI-DATT @ New Delhi

In a letter to all the states/UTs, the Health Ministry said the states should prepare and launch an action plan for implementing the revised guidelines for Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI, 2019) at all state-level events, "aiming that all the educational institutions implement the guidelines strictly and be certified as tobacco-free."