Compliance with statutory tobacco guidelines in and around schools in Mangaluru, India: An observational study

Context: Tobacco is the foremost cause of preventable death and disease in the world today, and India is the second largest consumer of tobacco products in the world. The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) promulgated in 2003 by the Government of India, not only mandates ban on the sale of tobacco within a 100-yard radius around schools, but also provides guidelines for tobacco-free schools. Aim: To determine if the provisions of the COTPA are being complied with, in Mangaluru, India. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 30 randomly selected schools in Mangaluru, India. Information was collected regarding sale of tobacco at vendor locations within 100-yard radius of these schools. An interview schedule was administered to the representative of the school, pertaining to the guidelines for tobacco-free schools. Statistical analysis used: The data were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11. 5. The level of statistical significance was kept at p < 0. 05. Results: There were 48 shops located within 100-yard radius of the schools, out of which 46 (95.8%) sold single cigarettes but only one shop displayed surrogate advertisement. Among the 30 schools surveyed, only 3 (10%) displayed signages prohibiting smoking. Although the guidelines for tobacco-free schools explicitly state that all schools must have a copy of the COTPA, only 3 (10.0%) schools maintained a copy. Conclusion: This study showed that there was a widespread violation of Section 6 of the COTPA 2003 in Mangaluru, India.