The state administration has received a notice from two Mumbai-based lawyers for failing to stop the easy availability of drugs and tobacco in the state. The rate at which youth get addicted to these substances is rising day by day.
The FDA, the DGP, the Mumbai Police Commissioner, the Health Minister, and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra have all received legal notices sent by attorneys Abid Abbas Sayyed and Saif Alam.
The notice highlights the negative impacts, health risks, and addictions linked to tobacco. It also highlights the lack of control over its illicit distribution. The lawyers have alerted the government about the sale of illegal cigarettes from overseas and the availability of gutka.
The legal notice also draws attention to more general issues, stating that the state's police force and government have not been able to adequately regulate the sale of drugs. The pair emphasised the urgency of intervention and enforcement actions, citing recent raids and seizures in Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai on December 31 as evidence.
The notice dated January 1 reads that the number of diseases and early deaths linked to tobacco use is rising, and this is largely due to the growing use of tobacco. The alarming rise in tobacco use among adults, children, and other vulnerable groups in society raises serious concerns for local and national public health. Among the leading causes of death globally, tobacco smoking is on the rise.
As per the lawyers' notice, there are around 275 million tobacco smokers in India. Among the adult population, 35% use tobacco products; of these, 48% are men and 20% are women.
In their notice, the two cited the 2016–17 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), emphasising that one in four young people in Maharashtra uses tobacco.
Based on the GATS-2 report, 26.6% of all adults in Maharashtra, 17% of women, and 35.5% of males now use tobacco (smokeless or smoked).
Lawyers Alam and Sayyed have requested that the police create a suitable action plan and that the state government draft new legislation through their legal notice.
Data from the Directorate of Health and Services between March 2016 and March 2022 indicates that almost 10 lakh individuals with a history of tobacco use have been documented in Maharashtra's hospitals and centres.
Four drug-producing plants in Maharashtra were raided in the last year. Data from the Maharashtra ATS shows that in a given year, 3,277 people were arrested in the state as a result of 2,491 drug trafficking cases that were reported. Approximately 9,530 drug-related incidents were reported in 2022, and 9,700 people were taken into custody. In contrast, 10,231 people were detained, and 10,536 drug-related cases were reported in 2023.
Recently, on New Year's Eve, four proprietors of paan shops in Navi Mumbai were arrested for allegedly stocking and vending prohibited tobacco products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raided the establishments situated within the APMC market premises.
In accordance with applicable provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, the Indian Penal Code, and FDA rules, authorities have filed a First Information Report (FIR) in this matter.
Investigations are being conducted to find out how the accused acquired the prohibited goods.
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