Kathmandu,
March 14:
The government has enforced the provision of acquiring a license to
sell tobacco and tobacco products from today. With this, sale of tobacco
products is allowed only from license-holding outlets.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers on January 19
took a decision in this connection by endorsing a proposal presented by the
Ministry of Health informing the government about adverse impact of the
consumption of tobacco and tobacco products on people's health.
The
Article 11(6) states that Government of Nepal may, if it deems necessary, make
provisions of license for sale and distribution of tobacco products.
Now the provision is in place that the registration of
tobacco business shall be done in an authority concerned, a separate license
from the Inland Revenue Office shall be obtained to sell tobacco products and
there shall be a separate outlet for sale and distribution of tobacco products,
Raju Katuwal, legal advisor to the Health Minister, said.
Anyone found violating the provision shall be punished as
per the Act, the Ministry said.
Tobacco retailers should place a clearly visible and
readable notice in front of the shop to inform the public about the legal
provision that no person shall be allowed to sell and distribute
tobacco products to a person below the age of 18 and to the pregnant woman, and
no person below the age of 18 and pregnant woman shall be made to sell and
distribute tobacco products.
With
the enforcement of the government decision, sale of tobacco products from
grocery stores has been banned and the government has assigned the Assistant
Chief District Officer to monitor in
this regard in every district. The Ministry was
receiving public complaints that an unchecked sale of various forms of tobacco
products (Bidi, Tamakhu, Sulfa, Kakkad, Kachha Surti, Khaini and Gutkha),
cigarette and cigar stick has caused adverse impact on the public health,
mainly of women and children.
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