Tobacco Act: Heavier burden on humbler folks

Tobacco Control Act, 2010 is in its full swing, so that we hardly see any people consuming tobacco, at least in the public areas. We never know what is happening in the dark, but being Buddhist, such direction is very essential for us. It will be of great benefit to everybody, irrespective of whether they are conscious about their health or not.

Nevertheless, the act seems to have a heavier bang on the humble folks, who are far from the border gates. Being in the vicinity of border towns of India, it is easier to get tobacco, either in compliance with the act, or in black.

But, imagine a pitiable chain-smoker at Laya, who even trembles and stammers when his mouth runs out of tobacco. It will be easier said than done for him to obtain a receipt from the nearest custom office, let alone reach the border towns of India to buy it.

It is not necessary to argue from the perspective of human right, because, by now, everyone knows it.

I don’t know how far I am right, but I even doubt if everything containing tobaccos were checked, because there are numerous stuff that has tobacco as its major ingredient. If the name of the act is tobacco control act, everything containing tobacco more or less should be banned. If not, I would rather call it as cigarette control act.

Having said so, I am neither going against our sublime religion, nor showing disregard for the decisions of our dedicated law-makers, but raising the issue on behalf of pathetic victims of the act, whose voice goes unheard always.

Our Voice is heard :-) 

Excerpt From Kuensel:

Tobacco Control Act

Winter session to 

discuss amendment

To speed up the process, it 

will be proposed as an urgent bill

Sonam Pelden

The Tobacco Control Act will be

proposed for amendment in the

coming winter session of parliament,

as it has completed the

mandatory one-year period to

be considered for amendment.

Prime minister Jigme Y

Thinley yesterday announced

that an amendment bill would

be proposed and, given the pain

and the suffering that it (the Act)

has caused, the government

would seek a swift deliberation

and an adoption of the amendment

bill. The government is

also studying if the amendment

bill can be proposed as an urgent

bill. “We have to look at the

legal implication, but even if not,

we’ll consult with the National

Council and make every effort

to see it through during this session

itself,” the prime minister

said.

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