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Coimbatore
Restricting move on cigarette shops most welcome
September 27, 2017
EMAIL TO THE EDITOR
The Union Health Ministry decision on September 21 to write to states for compulsorily registering of shops selling tobacco-products including cigarettes, and not allowing these to sell non-tobacco products is a welcome move.
This will certainly impose an effective check on sale of tobacco products apart from preventing children taking to smoking. Presently shops selling cigarettes also sell soft drinks and favourite food-packs of interest to children which can attract them to cigarettes.
But what lndia needs is a total ban on manufacture and sale of cigarettes like in Bhutan and Ireland. Even family-members of smokers will support such a bold step, because it is the family which suffers. Revenue-loss from ban on cigarettes will be more than compensated by funds saved on curing tobacco-related diseases.
If self-regulation is the policy to check human evils, then Union Government should withdraw attempt to suicide from Indian Penal Code.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own.
(The author of the column is SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL ,RTI Consultant from New Delhi)
