Earlier also the State Government had issued a notification on 1st January 2016 in which it asked to ban the storage, sales and distribution of Gutkha, Paan Masala, processed/ flavored/ scented, chewing tobacco and also any food product which contains tobacco or nicotine in it.
The ban is applicable for one year. This decision is good for the public health and Badal has now asked the Health department to take immediate steps to ensure complete ban on the manufacturing of tobacco and its products in the State.
I think the decision of the Badal Government is appreciable but on the same hand it would be very difficult to ban the tobacco completely and the authorities have to work really hard to implement this ban in the Punjab State. Similar decision should also be taken by the other State Government and why just other States it should be banned in the PAN India because slowly and steadily this tobacco is eating away people’s lives and affecting our young generation along with the older generation.
According to the State Government the band had been issued as the sale is in violation of section 7 of the COTPA which prohibits any trade or commerce in cigarettes or any other tobacco products unless every package of cigarettes or any other tobacco product sold, supplies or distributed which carries specific warning including pictorial warning of causing cancer.
