Say No to Tobacco Campaign – On the eve of ‘World NO Tobacco Day 2012’
adminThe most revolutionary act against tobacco use was initiated by Dr. Reddy with the support of Voice of Tobacco Victims, further collaborated with the COTPA ACT based on the AP fact sheet, i.e., tobacco related products such as Gutka/Panmasala, etc. With the reference of ban of tobacco products in states such Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Dr. Reddy appealed to Food & Drug Safety Dept. of Andhra Pradesh; Commissioner of Public Health & Family Welfare Dept.; Chairman Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation; Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Government of Andhra Pradesh;
Minister for Health, Family Welfare, APVVP & AP Aids Control Society State of Andhra Pradesh; Home Minister Andhra Pradesh and Governor, State of Andhra Pradesh, for the further processing and hearing from the government in order to ban all the tobacco related products.
In order to propagate the process of ban, press meeting was conducted along with Voice of Tobacco Victims, in Hyderabad on 22 August, 2012. The appeal for ban of tobacco related products along with the present statistics of usage of taboo in Andhra Pradesh and as well as the government orders of the other states were given to the Commissioner of Food & Drug Safety Dept. Andhra Pradesh.
Since there was no response from the higher authorities, Dr. Reddy appealed to the high court through public interest litigation. The PIL was successfully passed on 10 January, 2013 stating that “prohibition on manufacture, storage, distribution, sale of Gutka/Panmasla by whatever name it is called which contains tobacco and nicotine as ingredient in entire state of Andhra Pradesh, with immediate effect and the notification imposing prohibition vide Order No. 1508/F1/2012-13 Dated 10-01-2013 by the Commissioner of Food Safety”.
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