According to a recent survey, it has observed that more than 5 per cent adolescents consume tobacco in Maharashtra. It is pertinent to note that the sale of tobacco products to minors is prohibited under the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA) 2003.
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey-4 (GYTS-4) by the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai, in collaboration with the state public health department has found that Maharashtra has 5.1 per cent tobacco users in the age group of 13-15 years.
The survey, which had a sample size of 3,765 students aged 13-15 years, found around 31.5 per cent of children were exposed to tobacco at public places/homes.
While tobacco users in the age group of 13-15 in the state are less than the national average of 8.5 per cent, it was found that most of the tobacco users are in urban areas.
In comparison to boys, fewer girls were refused tobacco products on account of being minors. Moreover, 4.6 per cent of tobacco consumers were from rural areas, 5.7 per cent were from urban regions. Boys were 5.8 per cent and girls were 4.4 per cent.
Also, 7.8 per cent and 22 per cent of the surveyed children were exposed to passive smoking at home and enclosed public places respectively.
Meanwhile, the gender-wise a glaring gap was seen in sourcing of cigarettes. Compared to 57.4 per cent of boys, 77.2 per cent girls bought cigarettes, reports stated.
Besides, the survey showed that 20 per cent of the students — 28 per cent boys and 7 per cent girls – tried quitting smoking in the past 12 months when the survey was being held.
As per the survey report, 63 per cent of cigarette smokers and 70 per cent of bidi smokers purchased the product from a store, paan shop, street vendor or vending machine. Among them, 30 per cent of cigarette smokers and 43 per cent of bidi smokers were not refused because of their age.
Owing to such violence the rules, experts emphasised the need for a major overhaul of the tobacco vendor policies towards the sale of tobacco products around education institutions.
Although Maharashtra has a lower prevalence of tobacco use than the national average, efforts need to continue for the elimination of tobacco use with more emphasis among boys and urban youth. However, results from Maharashtra are encouraging though.