Smokers go off the hook in UP, Bihar

Tobacco usage has been identified as a major hurdle undermining developmental gains worldwide. It is also the foremost preventable cause of premature morbidity/ mortality.

Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat have emerged as the most “risky” states in India for those selling tobacco products to anyone below 18 year of age, or selling it within 100 yards of any educational institution. In fact, Rajasthan has fined 29,885 persons for these offenses in the last financial year of 2018-19 while the respective figure for Punjab and Gujarat are 23886 and 8712. (see box)

But not all states have shown a similar vigour in taking the violators to task. A big state like Uttar Pradesh has fined only 56 persons for these offences. The corresponding figure for Madhya Pradesh is 158 while for Bihar, it is just 268. Clearly, one is more likely to go unpunished in these states.