SRINAGAR: With a view to discourage the consumption of cigarettes and tobacco by the people, especially the younger generation, the Government has put a complete ban on the sale of loose cigarettes, loose beedies and loose tobacco in the State with immediate effect.
As per a notification issued by the Department of Health and Medical Education which reads ” in the interest of public health and in consonance with the section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir hereby imposes complete ban on the sale of loose cigarette (s), loose beedi (s) and loose tobacco in the State of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect.
It may be mentioned that the State of Jammu and Kashmir has highest number of cigarette consumers, more than national average as per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2010, and the move is aimed at to discourage the use of cigarette and tobacco among the consumers. The Government of India and State Government in association with the voluntarily organizations have launched vigorous awareness campaign to educate the masses about the ill effects of the smoking and other tobacco products on the health, which causes serious ailments like cancer and respiratory problems that leads death of numerous lives every year.