No Smoking Day | KGMU survey finds various UP restaurants & hotels lie in violation of smoking laws

On the occasion of 'No Smoking Day', that falls every year on the second Wednesday of March, King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) have released a joint survey.

The study covered UP cities of Lucknow, Kanpur, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Gorakhpur and observed some 205 locations, including 69 hotels, 81 restaurants and 55 restobars.

Numerous UP hotels and restaurants were found in violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003, aggravating the dangers of passive smoking. Section 4 of the act states, "no person shall smoke in any public place."

Although, it does allow smoking in certain designated areas. The act proscribes "advertisement of, and to provide for the regulation of trade and commerce in, and production, supply and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India."

Dr Surya Kant, Tobacco Cessation Clinic incharge and department head of respiratory medicine, KGMU, stated, “When a person smokes, they inhale only 30% of the smoke, while 70% remains in the environment as environmental tobacco smoke."

He added, "Exposure to passive smoking occurs in eateries, specifically hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs, and clubs, putting the lives of thousands of non-smokers at risk."

As per the survey, while it was found that none of the restaurants in the study provided any designated smoking area, they also did not meet other safety and ventilation specifications. This increases dangers of passive smoking and makes it hazardous for non-smokers, too.

Moreover, 99.5% establishments didn't use the necessary signage of ‘No Smoking’ or ‘Smoking’ areas. At the same time, 94% restobars in Lucknow and 100% of them in Kanpur offered provisions of smoking on premises.