Delhi bans cigarette sale to kids

“Now on the pan vendors and other shopowners will not be allowed to sell tobacco products to children, specially near the schools,” Delhi health Minister A K Walia said today.

The prohibition has been done under section 8 and 9 of the Delhi Anti-smoking and Non-smokers’ Health Protection Act, 1996.

The order says its violation will attract a penalty of Rs. 500 on the first offence and Rs. 1,000 or imprisonment of 2-3 months for every subsequent offence.

The Delhi government had banned smoking in public places in 1996.

Government and who statistics on tobacco-related diseases present a grim picture. The number of smokers is increasing by 5,500 every day and most of them are in the age group of ten or below.

According to the statistics, a smoker dies every ten seconds. Tobacco chewing and smoking are the main causes of lung cancer and other diseases like chronic bronchitis.

Activists working for a total ban on smoking and sale of tobacco have doubted whether the government would be able to implement the ban.

They say it was difficult for the shopkeepers to judge the exactage of a buyer. Former health Minister harsh vardhan says the solution lies in making the society tobacco-free, not by imposing a ban here and there.

He says a National policy and a spearate ministry are required. Apart from Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan are the other states who have banned smoking.

Who says notwithstanding the campaign against tobacco, smoking has been on the rise in India, specially among the youth. By 2020, India will have 1.5 million people paying the fatal price of the habit, it says.