Advocacy with police department for effective implementation of tobacco control polices

Background and challenges to implementation Children and youth in India are vulnerable to tobacco initiation and tobacco industry uses tactics to target this age group violating section 6a of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA 2003) which prohibits sale of tobacco products to minors. To curb this and to protect the children from tobacco addiction, Juvenile Justice Act (JJA) was amended in 2015 to include a jail term up to 7 years and fine of 1 LAKH Rupees and other provisions of COTPA 2003 related to tobacco products. Salaam Bombay Foundation took this opportunity to sensitize the Mumbai Police department to take action against the tobacco vendors violating the law. Intervention or response .In 2015 Salaam Bombay Foundation conducted Sensitization Workshops on COTPA 2003 with Mumbai Police Department under the leadership of Mr.Pravin Kumar Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Enforcement) Mumbai. Police officers and child Protection officers from all the 94 police stations were invited for these workshops. Results and lessons learnt Till date, 29000 policemen from Mumbai Police have attended the sensitization workshop.After the Policemen attending the workshop took action against 153 tobacco shops violating COTPA 2003. The workshop mobilized the government authorities and Assistant Police Inspector; Juvenile Action Police Unit of Mumbai Police (JAPU) received a letter from Health Department from Maharashtra state government to take action on Violations of section 6a of COTPA act. The officials took guidance and assistance from Salaam Bombay Foundation representatives to take necessary actions. Conclusions and key recommendations Capacity building of governmental authorities would help to implement the existing laws on sale of tobacco products more effectively and efficiently. Non-governmental organizations can contribute in this by supporting governmental agencies