INDIA
The Union Health Ministry has asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to ensure tobacco shops at any airports are not located near smoking rooms, as well as to ensure that shops selling tobacco products prominently display signage saying, “Sale of tobacco products to a person below the age of 18 years is a punishable offence."
India’s Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA, 2003), was introduced in 2004 with an aim to curb the consumption of tobacco products.
In its letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Health Ministry said, “It has been observed that the provisions of COTPA 2003 and the enabling rules are being violated at the airports, by shops selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. These shops in contravention of the provisions of COTPA, display tobacco advertisements and are located just outside the smoking room or in food courts, thus facilitating tobacco use and also enticing non-smokers especially children to these shops and to the smoking room.“
The letter also said that in certain airports, tobacco products are also sold from shops selling souvenirs, food, books, etc., thus enabling easy access to non-smokers and especially children to these shops and tobacco products. These shops also do not display the warning sign.
A health ministry official said, “ If the guidelines are not followed then it means these are running illegally as they tend to promote smoking. We are hoping for a positive response.”