New Delhi: The Healthy Ministry had accepted the recommendation of the expert panel on Tuesday to ban the sale of loose cigarettes as a major decision to curb the use of cigarettes.
Dr Harsh Vardhan former Health Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet had favoured a complete ban on e-cigarettes and all products described as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). He had said that such products push children towards tobacco habit eventually via nicotine dependence.
Centre has been consider to ban branding on cigarette packets after raising the taxes on cigarettes and calling for a countrywide ban on sale of tobacco products, raising the age limit on tobacco consumption to 25 years from the present 18 years.
There is already a ban on selling cigarettes and bidis near educational institutions and to those under the age of 18 years.
The government has also been planning to increase penalties for smoking in public.
India had banned smoking in public places six years ago. However, violations have been easy to spot ever since.
Bureau Report
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