The union government is planning to raise the legal age smoking. The union government is planning to draft a law to raise the legal age allowing sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to 21 years. At present the legal age for smoking f cigarettes is 18 years.
The union government has drafted the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Amendment Act, 2020. The Union Health Ministry has prepared the law. The bill seeks to amend further the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.
Also Read: Union Health Ministry issues new guidelines
“No person shall sell, offer for sale, or permit sale of, cigarette or any other tobacco product – (a) to or by any person who is under twenty-one years of age, and in an area within a radius of one hundred meters of any educational institution”, says the new law.
As per the new law, sale of illicit tobacco products will lead to punishment of imprisonment of 1 year and a fine of Rs 50,000 and a second conviction of imprisonment of 2 years and Rs 1 lakh. The fine on manufacture of illicit cigarettes is imprisonment of 2 years and fine of Rs 1 lakh. The penalty for smoking at restricted areas is being increased from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000.
Post Your Comments