Allow tobacco sale, NC
13 July 2009
Yesterday, the National Council resolved to allow the sale of tobacco products, which was banned on December 17, 2004.
After reviewing the Tobacco Control Bill for two days, the NC decided to do away with section 11 (c) under chapter three of the bill which says, “No person shall sell tobacco and tobacco products.” Pema Lhamo, NC member from Zhemgang, said it had been almost five years since cigarettes were outlawed in Bhutan but the number of smokers was not known. She said bans did not reduce the number of smokers, but awareness and education did. She said that cigarettes should be controlled, not banned.
The 82nd National Assembly passed the resolution banning the sale of tobacco products throughout the country following which the then Ministry of Trade and Industry issued a notification in November 2004 banning the sale of tobacco products nationwide, with effect from December 17.
Dr Jagar Dorji, the council member from Trongsa, said Bhutan was better off than other countries because it did not produce cigarettes. Sangay Zam, the Thimphu representative, said advertisements increased the number of smokers. She said that, when youth see people smoking, they got a feeling that it was easily available.
Naichu, the Mongar representative, said that tobacco had only bad effects. He said that, during the discussions, some had suggested that tobacco should be allowed to be sold but taxed heavily to provide income. This, according to him, would not work because government would be spending more on the medical expenses as tobacco led to various diseases.
The ban was there but there was no specific legal backing for people breaking the ban.
Tobacco control laws in Bhutan date back to as early as 1729 which ensured that religious institutions and dzongs remained tobacco free. The Health Ministry, with support from WHO, initiated anti-tobacco activities moneyin the mid 1980s.
Currently, 5.1 million people die every year globally from tobacco use, out of which 1.2 million die in the South-East Asian region alone.
Today, the National Council will discuss the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan Bill.
BY TANDIN PEM
Loading ...
Comments
4 Responses to “Allow tobacco sale, NC”
Leave your comment
Loading ...Zakar for Thursday September 02 2010
th Day of the th Month - Year
Auspicious for:
Inauspicious for:
Recently Updated
- Nganglam needs the same favours
- Yangphel open archery tournament in the quarters
- Meet the wicked lady of Bhutanese films
- From dung to clean energy
- Contractors appeal to PM to solve stone shortage crisis
- Villagers cry foul of farm road alignment
- Tor Jap – hurling ritual cakes
- PTC teachers need professional incentives
- Tudors win easy over Aspens
- 136 power tillers distributed
Popular Articles
- Building and selling skills (535)
- Coming of the new God (270)
- Bhutan’s GDP growth up (80)
- Archery range still threatens lives (55)
- In peace, the King sleeps (40)
- First Bhutanese to run world-class marathon (378)
- Bhutan runs NY marathon (333)
- Burning a mountain with a single thought (203)
- Buddhas and Bars (159)
- Of those 6 months in Phuenthsoling (51)
Archives
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Jun | Aug » | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||
Yeah, heavy tax might help. we need to abolish black market and corruption and prevent from dirty politics happening in neighboring countries.
How can someone say that the number of smokers is not known and then turn right around and say that the ban does not work?? By definition, if you have no data (i.e. you don’t know the number of smokers pre 2004 and now), then you CANNOT say whether the ban was effective or not. This is as simple as 2 +2 ! Either way, the better route is to put a MASSIVE tax on the cigarettes. This addresses the surprisingly strong price elasticity of demand for cigarettes, will reduce the incentive to take up smoking, and provide much needed revenue for the government to deal with the health issues that emerge from cigarette use.
Well..I personally feel that the ban has worked. Just because people are still smoking does not mean that banning did not help. May be the rate of increase of smoking related disease decreased. I personally have not heard about cases of smoking related disease in recent years. If it is expensive, people will not be able to afford to be chain smoker.
Ofcourse imposing law is not the best idea but if someone does not understand what is right and wrong for him/her, then it is best to impose until he/she is matured.
It is youth who would smoke most if cigarettes are cheap. At their age, they do not know what is right and wrong mostly. So they will go for smoking if it is available everywhere at cheaper price.
It is those who are already smoking, who are complaining. Probably the MPs who are trying to lift the ban are one of the smokers. But they will know if their kid smokes.
Many developed countries around the world have realized and banning smoking…such as England. Are we going towards civilization or backwards? If MPs have taken this decision, then it shows how MPs judge purely of guess as the lady MP clearly mentions that she is not sure. This not how we want our representatives decide…
This is a sad story for Bhutan.I think it is incompetent conclusion . When the ban could not stop black market, how do you expect MASSIVE tax could? How about we try to see the spending capability of the general public. Govt. should look beyond Thimphu and Paro. In fact the government should have done some research or even a public poll through out the country before deciding to lift the ban.Any ways it’s already late as of now. May be in future we see something done for the future generation. Our forefathers did not hand over a nation littered with “Wills Classic” (and more) covers and cigarette buds.