Now, cigarette shops can't sell candy, chips or any other non-tobacco products

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said that the shops selling tobacco products will not be allowed to sell any non-tobacco products that may attract the attention of children.

It also asked the state governments develop a mechanism by which shops selling tobacco products would need authorisation from municipal bodies.

This step will certainly impose an effective check on sale of tobacco products apart from preventing exposure of children to tobacco products as a fashion-status.

The central government has also enacted the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which makes giving, or causing to be given, any child any tobacco products punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend up to seven years.

The 10 countries with the largest number of smokers in 2015 were China, India, Indonesia, USA, Russia, Bangladesh, Japan, Brazil, Germany and the Philippines. Together they accounted for almost two-thirds of the worlds smokers (63.6 per cent).

The USA, China and India, which were the leading three countries in total number of female smokers, accounted for only 27·3 per cent of the world's female smokers. Since 1990, the Philippines, Germany, and India had no significant decreases in smoking among women.

OneIndia News