Team Herald
PANJIM: The National Organisation on Tobacco Eradication (NOTE)-India urged Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to speed up the work on implementing the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA).
In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, NOTE-India appealed for provisions to be made in the Budget for various initiatives proposed in the interest of the students and adolescent population in the State to curb the menace of cigarette and other tobacco products.
Dr Shekar Salkar, NOTE-India General Secretary, also briefed the Chief Minister on the Tobacco Free Educational Institute (TOFEI) initiative for approximately 1,550 schools across Goa.
He further requested the Chief Minister to levy an additional luxury tax of 15 to 20 per cent on Cigarette and ‘beedis’. Dr Salkar stressed on the importance of the State government roping in NGOs and experts to address the issue of tobacco consumption.
He added that the Chief Minister had assured complete support for their cause. He also stated that statistics have proven that there is a decrease in consumption of tobacco products in Goa from 1984, when the percentile consumption of tobacco products was 35 per cent, to 10 per cent in the current scenario.
