Tobacco.org

• Chinese ciggies in Laya 

There is one place in Bhutan where the Indian-made Wills cigarette has not captured the tobacco market, not even the black one. The remote gewog of Laya smokes Chinese-made cigarettes like Hongtashan, Kingsize, Huangguoshu, Lian Xia, Hong Mel, Fupongyan, Five Bulls and Mellow Turong.

Layaps just call it "tangkhu," which means tobacco - probably because of the difficulty in pronouncing the brands. The cigarettes are cheap and abundant and sneaked in from across the northern borders. Locals prefer Hongtashan, but King Size, costing Nu 80 for 20 sticks, is cheaper and more popular.

Laya smokers cannot remember since when they have been smoking, but say that Chinese cigarettes had been around in Laya for a long time - since Layaps and Tibetans across the border started trading. . . .

Others, who heard of the ban on the sale of tobacco, said that they bring in the cigarettes for their own consumption. "Everybody brings in cigarettes, so there's no point selling it," said Wangdi, who calls himself a chain smoker.

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• Tobacco control bill endorsed 

THIMPHU: Under the watchful gaze of the giant Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Guru Rinpoche thongdroel, the National Assembly yesterday endorsed the Tobacco Control Bill of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

The endorsing of the bill, with amendments, assumed a special significance at the hall, considering that Zhabdrung endorsed the first tobacco control in the 17th century. Even before that, Guru Rinpoche, in his teachings, said that tobacco grew from the blood of a demoness, personified as a menstruating woman, who had wished for an intoxicant that would obstruct spiritual practice.

Friday, the 21st century democratic Bhutan’s members of parliament, respecting individual rights, didn’t completely ban smoking or chewing tobacco, but ensured that tobacco is scarce, non-users are protected and violators penalised accordingly.

No Bhutanese can sell or even buy tobacco, says the bill. . . .

Non-smokers will be protected by law from inhaling second hand smoke. This will be done by strictly banning smoking in public places . . .

The Bill, however, will be sent to the National Council, which earlier amended it and lifted the ban on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products. If the council does not agree with the Assembly’s amendments, the bill will be put to the joint legislative committee of the two houses. A joint sitting would be needed to pass the bill, if the joint committee fails to resolve differences.

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• Tobacco bill's third discussion 

The National Assembly is deliberating on penalties for people, who violate the tobacco control bill, after re-inserting the clause, which bans sale of tobacco products that was removed by the National Council in the summer session.

Discussing the bill for the third time in the Assembly, the house put back clause C under section 11 that bans "sale of tobacco and tobacco products". With the clause, any person selling tobacco products is committing an offence, according to the bill. . . .

Anybody, who cultivates, harvests, manufactures, supplies or distributes tobacco and tobacco products in the country, will be penalised according to the penal code. Tobacco smugglers would charged for smuggling. . . .

Members debated, at length, on the severity of the penalties, with some even suggesting a mandatory imprisonment for six months.

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Houses stand divided 

The National Assembly and the National Council are divided in their views over the tobacco control bill 2009.

Discussing the tobacco bill, already amended by the Council in July, Assembly members yesterday unanimously agreed to disagree with the amendment made by the upper house. The Council in July lifted the ban on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products by deleting the section C in chapter III. The section states that "no person shall sell tobacco and tobacco products". The Council also deleted section 12 that allows a person only to import tobacco and tobacco products for personal consumption as per quota approved by the tobacco control board.

The Council also deleted Section 24, Chapter 7, which states that the royal government shall constitute a tobacco control board to take measures for the purpose of preventing the people of Bhutan from the health, social and environmental consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.�

Justifying the deletion, NC member Karma Yozer yesterday told Kuensel that the ban on the sale was ineffective and led to a robust black market. "Tobacco is easily available but at high prices because of the ineffective ban and the idea was to make tobacco expensive by imposing higher taxes," he said.

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Non-criminal approach recommended 

"Functionaries and servants of whatever rank, high or low, once they have entered the Dharma door of the Choje Drukpa, may not perform deeds that violate Dharma, such as sleeping with women, using intoxicating substances, such as tobacco..."

This was the world oldest tobacco control law contained in the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal's legal code, "Golden Yoke of Legal Edicts" before his death in 1651. 358 years later, Bhutan's highest legislative body, the parliament is still debating the Tobacco Bill.

Bhutan officially banned the sale of tobacco and tobacco products on December 17, 2004. Subsequently smoking in public places was also banned. Yet, even as members of parliament debate the provisions of the bill, tobacco products are easily available, there is a thriving black market and not many public places, including offices, are free of smokers.

Before the Tobacco Bill was discussed in the National Assembly, a research study on "Tobacco use policy making and administration in Bhutan" was presented to the parliamentarians. The study carried out by Michael Givel, a professor with the department of political science, university of Oklahoma, USA, talks of tobacco laws from Zhabdrung's time to the present law. The policies related to tobacco use, administrative implementation and outcomes of the policy. . . .

Professor Givel recommends Bhutan to institute a public governmental tobacco control plan, including general and strategic operating plans. "It'll create a rationalistic approach to coordinate and mobilise public and private resources to counter tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke."

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• Contraband quandary 

Customs officials in Phuentsholing are in a dilemma. They have successfully confiscated tobacco products worth over one million ngultrums since 2007, but they don't know what to do with the stockpiled contraband in their store.

"We can't burn, dump or sell the tobacco to where it came from," said a customs official. "How long can we go on storing them?" he wondered.

Seized goods in the past were burnt, but after they came under environment scrutiny, they started their storage.

"Selling it back would be against world health organisation (WHO) principles, as we are also a WHO member," said an official from the health ministry.

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Love it or loathe it - Is the cigarette here to stay? 

Like him, many smokers, both chain and occasional, don't keep a tab on the amount they spend on these 74 mm nicotine sticks, that come neatly packed and fit the palm snugly.

While a few may rue the amount spent on this so-called relaxant, Sonam, 24, another corporate employee, doesn't regret the amount she's spent. She reasons philosophically, "I guess it's okay for me, one has to try everything in life."

The ban has in fact increased the number of smokers, say observers. Studies have shown that, ironically, the more evidence accumulated by science on the effects of tobacco, the more lucrative the business becomes and wider the margin of profit. . . .

Writer Nandini Mehta, in her opinion piece for Outlook magazine, writes, "Its hard to explain to the uninitiated that life is about more than mere longevity; that what makes cigarettes so seductive is the very fact that each one is a tiny, sublime intimation of mortality."

Of course, all smokers admit that they know the ill effects of smoking. . . .

Yet none of them seem to complain unless they get a pain in their chests. The fact that it's injurious to health - and also the wallet - is perhaps the last thing on their minds. "I don't feel that I'm wasting money when I buy cigarettes, for me it helps me to think and work better," says Karma.

We know smokers are gifted when rationalising their habits and so, while the smokers smoke, society fumes. Not that the smokers care, for them not even the cost matters!

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Boom time for tobacco black market 

The tobacco black market is undoubtedly thriving, given the amount of contraband smuggled into the country from border towns.

But custom's seizures are soaring too, with tobacco worth Nu 1.2 million confiscated to date. The latest being on Thursday, September 18, when custom officials seized tobacco products worth Nu 86,000 in Phuentsholing. . . .

Third country tobacco products are liable to an additional 100 percent import duty and any quantity beyond that is subject to confiscation. The confiscated items are usually destroyed in Pasakha, after seeking approval from the City.

According to the revenue and custom's regional commissioner, Wangchuk Thaye, tobacco and tobacco products are the most common goods seized by DRC in recent times. Since the ban in December 2004, tobacco worth Nu 1.2 million have been seized and destroyed.

Despite vigilance and sudden raids from authorities, the tobacco black market is thriving in most of the dzongkhags.

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Another contraband tobacco seizure 

Customs officials seized tobacco products worth Nu 58,600 from an Indian vehicle at around 10:30 am yesterday in Phuentsholing.

The Indian vehicle, parked near the main gate, was headed towards Paro. An informer had tipped officials over the telephone about the illegal smuggling that was taking place.

According to the head of customs department in Phuentsholing, Wangchuk Thaye, the tobacco products seized included the Indian cigarette Wills, chewing tobacco Baba and bidis. The

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Tobacco worth of Nu. 400,000 apprehended 

Custom officials in Phuentsholing have seized tobacco products worth Nu. 400,000. The consignment was being smuggled in a truck.

It was apprehended at around 7:30 am on Saturday at Rinchending. This is the largest consignment of tobacco products to be seized so far. It was being smuggled in a truck hidden carefully under a load of fertilizers.

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Single tobacco smuggler busted twice 

Custom officials in the border town of Phuentsholing seized tobacco products worth Nu 200,000 over the weekend.

The seized items were mostly Indian brand Wills cigarettes and Baba chewing tobacco.

According to the head of customs department (DRC), Wangchuk Thayey, on the evening of June 13 mobile inspectors while inspecting an Indian vehicle near Karbytar found 800 Wills packets and two sacks of Baba chewing tobacco.

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Lights Out for Smokers in Bhutan 

As Bhutan sets about measuring the kingdom's happiness levels, one group might not be smiling: smokers.

Each year, countries around the world are putting more restrictions on cigarettes, heaping new taxes and health warnings on top of limitations on where they can be smoked and how they can be advertised. But Bhutan has taken the ultimate step -- banning the sale of all tobacco products.

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• Lights Out for Smokers in Himalayan Kingdom 

While it's still legal to smoke here, the only legal way to acquire a cigarette is to bring in a carton -- the maximum allowed -- overland from neighboring India or on one of the two planes of Druk Air, Bhutan's national airline. People bringing in cigarettes pay duties and taxes equal to 200% of the price.

The three-year-old ban is one of many policies stemming from Bhutan's concept of Gross National Happiness, which aims to keep people happy by protecting the environment and upholding cultural traditions. But the government also had more tangible reasons for the ban: Bhutan provides universal health care, and the burden of treating tobacco-related disease is something it says it can't afford. "Without smoking, the cost of health care would be tremendously lower," says Dorji Wangchuk, director-general for medical services at Bhutan's Ministry of Health.

The move could make Bhutan a laboratory to test whether legislation banning cigarette sales will help people kick the habit.

Yet, as a laboratory for such a bold move, it is hardly an ideal place.

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Tobacco products worth Nu. 60,000 seized 

In Thimphu, officials from the Department of Trade and other agencies including the Royal Bhutan Police seized tobacco products worth Nu. 60, 000 from a shop in the old vegetable market area yesterday.

The raid was conducted by the sub-committee for tobacco control. . . .

The Department of Trade has cancelled 34 Micro Trade license since sale of tobacco was banned in 2004. 11 were canceled in Thimphu alone this January.

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• Bhutan's total tobacco ban a breath of fresh air 

If your nicotine patch isn't cooling your ardor for cigarettes, or you're tired of smelling stale tobacco smoke in rental cars, there's a spot at the top of the world for you. Bhutan, already one of the world's most beautiful places, is the first country in the world to institute a complete ban on smoking.

Reaching 24,500 feet high in the Himalayas, the Kingdom of Bhutan was almost completely isolated until 40 years ago, with no roads, schools, electricity, phones, radios or cars. Since then, this Switzerland-size country has stepped gingerly into the modern world, restricting tourists and fiercely protecting the nation's environmental and cultural purity.

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