UP GOVT DECIDES TO MAKE LICENCE A MUST FOR SALE OF TOBACCO ITEMS

Vendors of cigarettes, other tobacco products will not be allowed to sell any other item

LUCKNOW : The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to make licence compulsory for the sale of cigarettes, tobacco and its related products in Uttar Pradesh. The licence holder will be able to sell only tobacco products and no other item.

Additional chief secretary Rajnish Dubey on June 8 issued directives to all municipal corporations and local bodies across the state to implement the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulations of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 to curb the use of tobacco.

LUCKNOW: The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to make licence compulsory for the sale of cigarettes, tobacco and its related products in Uttar Pradesh.

The licence holder will be able to sell only tobacco products and no other item.

Additional chief secretary Rajnish Dubey on June 8 issued directives to all municipal corporations and local bodies across the state to implement the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulations of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA) to curb the use of tobacco.

COTPA is a central law to keep children away from tobacco. The Modi government had written in September 2017 to all states to implement the Act.

Dubey has directed all civic bodies to take appropriate action in this regard and apprise the state government of it by July 31.

According to the guidelines issued by the state government, the licence will be valid for one year only.

The Voluntary Health Association of India has welcomed the state government’s decision to make licence mandatory for selling tobacco and its products to regulate the sale of tobacco products in the state.

Rules and conditions

Only licence holders will be able to sell tobacco and its related products.

The licence holder will be able to sell only tobacco products and no other product.

The licence will be valid for one year and will be non-transferable.

One licence will be valid for one shop.

If any addition is made in existing rules and conditions for selling tobacco and its related products by the state government, high court, health department, civic bodies or any other department of the government, then the licence holders will have to comply.

On violation of the rules, municipal corporations will issue warning to the licensee. If he continues to violate the rules, then the licence will be cancelled and will not be issued again.

Except the licence holder, no other commercial establishment including malls, wholesale markets, supermarkets, general merchant, grocery store and other establishments, including vendors, will not be able to sell tobacco and its related products.

A fine of Rs 2000 will be imposed on the first violation of rules, Rs 5000 on the second violation. On the third violation, Rs 5000 fine will be imposed, products seized and FIR will be lodged.

Licence holders will be able to sell only Indian tobacco products carrying statutory warning and imported products permitted by the Centre.

Licence holders will not be able to sell loose cigarettes.