Maharashtra - First State to Ban Sale of Loose Cigarette and Beedi Stick
Maharashtra: Recently, Maharashtra’s principal health secretary, Dr. Pradeep Vyas, signed the order putting a “complete ban” on the sale of “loose cigarette and beedi sticks”. And that made Maharashtra the first Indian state to impose such a ban.
According to the Global Tobacco Youth Survey 2016, Maharashtra has the lowest smoking rate in India.
Dr. Vyas mentioned that the decision is in compliance with the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 7 of Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply & Distribution) Act, 2003.
As per regulatory requirements, there is a mandate to display graphical and such other public health warnings on cigarette packaging. When a customer buys a single cigarette or beedi stick, he or she would never come across those warnings and therefore the whole purpose for the inclusion of public health warnings on such packaging becomes futile. This became the underlying reason for passing the said order by the state government.
A study conducted on the subject matter reflects that a 10 percent rise in taxes results in an 8 percent drop in the number of smokers. However, a person buying a single cigarette will not feel the effect of such higher taxes. And hence, this decision will result in reducing the percentage of smokers in the state.
Post declaration of the order, social media was ramped up with concerns and opinions raised by different sections of the society from cigarette sellers to smokers to health specialists.
