Assam govt contemplating to ban sale of unpacked or loose cigarettes

Jan. 7: The health ministry has drafted the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Amendment) Bill 2020 after a three-year-long meticulous exercise. It is in this backdrop that the Assam government has also decided to ban the sale of unpacked or “loose” cigarettes in the state.

The union government moves to increase the smoking age from 18 to 21 years, ban sale of loose cigarettes, do away with designated smoking rooms at airports and restaurants, and increase penalties for flouting public smoking rules to curb smoking in the country.

The decision of prohibition on the sale of loose cigarettes was included in the new draft keeping in mind two considerations- Since cigarettes are sold loose, they become economically more accessible to people, especially the students and again when cigarettes are sold loose, they miss the messaging and warning on packs. A proviso has been inserted in Section 7 which says, “Provided that trade and commerce in cigarette or any other tobacco product shall be in sealed, intact and original packing.”