Smoke Free Shimla - A Successful Endeavour by HPVHA

In September 2000, the Millennium Development Goals were identified which focused on addressing poverty, with special recommendations on strengthening of tobacco control policies. The need to focus on effective implementation of tobacco control policies is primarily because of the large consequential burden of tobacco related diseases and death. India's social legislation on tobacco control, COTPA, 2003 is a comprehensive national initiative to protect citizens from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke. Civil Society organization's activism has played a crucial role in providing the needful impetus to the tobacco control legislation in the state. Through HPVHA's sustained activities in collaboration with Govt Agencies on policy advocacy, community awareness, public education activities and mass media campaigns, work places and public places in Shimla have been made smoke free. The movement that has been initiated by HPVHA is the only civil society movement which is working on tobacco control and effective implementation of COTPA, 2003 in the State of Himachal Pradesh. Our efforts to make Shimla City Smoke Free has paved the way to make Himachal Pradesh a Smoke Free State.