Legal smoking age raised

NEW DELHI: Health campaigners yesterday welcomed India’s unprecedented plans to raise the age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 25 and ban unpackaged cigarette sales.

They have called the new plans a major step towards stopping nearly a million tobacco-related deaths a year.

India will have the world’s highest minimum legal age for buying cigarettes if the plans are implemented.

They were announced by Health Minister JP Nadda in parliament on Tuesday and will need final approval by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet and parliament before becoming law. – Sapa-AFP