From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: A Bill was introduced in Assam Assembly on Tuesday by the State Health Department for imposing ban on consumption, trading, manufacturing, distribution and advertising of a wide range of tobacco and tobacco products and other items containing tobacco as an ingredient.
The Bill was tabled by the State health minister Dr Himanta Bishwa Sarma in order to ‘improve public health and prevent incidence of cancer and other health hazards and addiction among the people of the State.’
When the Bill will be enacted, the Act may be called the Assam Health (Prohibition of Manufacturing Trade, Advertisement, Storage, Distribution, Sale and Consumption of Zarda, Gutkha, Panmasala etc. containing Tobacco) Act, 2013.
It will extend to entire State of Assam and shall come into force as soon as the State government notifies it in Assam Gazette.
The word tobacco as mentioned in the Bill means smokeless and chewing tobacco and tobacco products and includes leaves and other vegetative parts of Nicotina-Tabacum, commonly known as tambaku, dhapat, zarda or by any other name/names in all its variants in solid or any form.
It means all types of chewing and smokeless tobacco and tobacco products including gutkha,pan masala and other chewing material having tobacco as one of its ingredients, bywhatever name called, tooth powder containing tobacco and any other products which may be notified by the government, for the purpose of this Act.
Assam government may, by notification, authorize one or more persons who shall be competent to act under this Act.
The Bill proposes to impose ban on distribution of products as mentioned in it even by way of samples whether free or otherwise.
The financial memorandum attached with the Bill states that when the Act comes into the force the State will lose Rs 20 crore per annum because of the ban imposed on the products asmentioned in the Bill.