Ban smoking, not cigarettes
When I was a child, I remember that I would not allow my father to enter the house after smoking until he rinsed his mouth. The smell of the smoke was unbearable to such an extent for me. However, as I grew up, I realised that my struggle against second hand smoke was not limited to my house. Soon, I was battling ill-mannered smokers who would not spare any public space. They would smoke in cinema halls, in eating joints, at chai corners, and most irritatingly, while using public transport.
I wondered what keeps the government from banning these products, or at least ban their usage in public. To my relief, the government made public smoking a criminal offence a few years ago. However, barring a few incidents, I don’t remember anybody being fined for smoking in public. I hate it that despite the rule, I still have to confront the smokers, and request them to find another godforsaken place to throw their cancer-inducing smoke.
Yesterday, the government accepted the recommendation of an expert panel that the sale of loose cigarettes should be banned to discourage smoking. It is an absurd move. A number of doubts arise in mind.
Who would be discouraged to buy a cigarette? An average pack of 20 cigarettes costs Rs 200. A normal middle class person can easily afford this amount. Affluent smokers do not buy loose cigarettes.
As for the lower income group, cheaper options like non-filtered cigarettes and bidis are available in abundance. A pack of ten bidis costs Rs 2-3, while a pack of non-filtered cigarettes costs Rs 70-80. By banning the sale of loose cigarettes, the government would enhance the sale of cheaper smoking options. The big question is whether the government is against smoking, or against cigarettes.
People in favour of the ban argue that it will ensure that children will not be able to buy cigarettes and pick up smoking. At a time when schoolchildren have iPhones, it is hard to believe that they will have any difficulty in raising an amount of Rs 200 to experiment with smoking. Unfortunately, children from the lowest strata of the society have the access to bidis at a tender age.
Now let’s discuss the ban. What mechanism will the government employ to curb the sale of loose cigarettes? Surprise checks? The fear of surprise checks did not hold the paanwallas back from selling "munakka", a form of cannabis. Even if the authorities catch a vendor selling loose cigarettes, will he be jailed for the offence? I don't think so. He will be fined a meagre amount and let off. He will continue selling loose cigarettes at an inflated price.
Secondly, if the police is entrusted with the task of implementing the ban, it will mean harassment of vendors, who already pay beat constables an amount to run their business. They will pay them a cut and trade in loose cigarettes.
And let’s admit it. Bans do not work in India. The trade and possession of weed is illegal in India. However, you can smell weed all round Delhi. Shockingly, I have even smelt weed in public places including the famous coffee houses of Connaught Place. Similarly, it is illegal to sell or serve alcohol to people under the age of 25. But, no bar ever refused to serve me a mug of beer when I was 21. Ban cigarettes, but also ban other options of smoking. Why not introduce a license to sell cigarettes to limit the sale?
The government will have to take some decisive steps if it wants to discourage smoking. Banning the sale of cigarettes or shoving a visual message down the throats of cinemagoers is far from decisive.