Tobacco.org

• 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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• Tobacco law absence spurs black market  

More than two years after it made history by becoming the first nation to ban tobacco sales and smoking in public, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is still awaiting a law to back the ban while a black market in tobacco flourishes. The Tobacco Control Legislation is yet to be drafted though the sale of tobacco was banned in December 2004 and smoking in public places two months later. As the stakeholders met in capital city Thimphu last week to discuss the draft, the battle on tobacco seemed to be losing steam with participants also discussing whether entertainment centres like discotheques, snooker rooms and bars should have a designated room or area for smokers, Bhutan’s official media reported. “It has been a struggle to enforce the ban, especially in these entertainment places,” one of the participants told Kuensel daily.

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• Two years after tobacco ban, Bhutan still awaits law 

More than two years after it made history by becoming the first nation to ban tobacco sales and smoking in public, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is still awaiting a law to back the ban while a black market in tobacco flourishes.

The Tobacco Control Legislation is yet to be drafted though the sale of tobacco was banned in December 2004 and smoking in public places two months later.

As the stakeholders met in capital city Thimphu last week to discuss the draft, the battle on tobacco seemed to be losing steam with participants also discussing whether entertainment centres like discotheques, snooker rooms and bars should have a designated room or area for smokers, Bhutan's official media reported.

'It has been a struggle to enforce the ban, especially in these entertainment places,' one of the participants told Kuensel daily.

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• Tobacco legislation at hand 

More than two years after the nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco products and smoking in public places, a legislation on tobacco control is finally being prepared to give the ban a legal backing.

“The ban has been there but only through notifications and warnings serving as a deterrent but there was no specific legal backing to penalise or fine people breaking the ban,” said the consultant from Myanmar, Dr. Nyo Nyo Kyaing who was recruited with World Health Organisation (WHO) assistance to work on the tobacco legislation for Bhutan. “There has to be a legislation for the ban to be effective because it is important to make clear all the offences and the penalties.”

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Tobacco and betel nut top seizure list 

Of the 461 seizures of illegal goods worth Nu. 1.67 million made in 2005, tobacco products and betel nut products topped the list according to the National Revenue Report 2005-06.

A dissection of seizure items showed 105 seizures to be tobacco products followed by 53 seizures of betel nuts. The rest were garments (27), aerated water (21), plastic bags (20) and sugar (14). The top seven items constituted 52 percent of the total seizure goods.

The number of seizure cases had decreased from 2002 to 2004 but saw a drastic increase in 2005.

In 2002, 313 seizures worth about Nu.841,000 were recorded. It decreased to 290 the next year but was worth Nu. 1.71 million. It decreased further to 193 cases in 2004 and was worth Nu.1.08 million.

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• Tobacco ban faring well?  

The trade department has cancelled 23 trade licenses in the country found selling tobacco products and collected a fine of Nu. 230,000 till date after the ban on the sale of tobacco was imposed in the country on December 17, 2004.

The break up shows 11 licenses in Thimphu and six each in Paro and Samdrup Jongkhar. The joint director of trade department, Dophu Tshering said that licenses were cancelled the moment business outlets were found selling tobacco products and a fine of Nu. 10,000 was also imposed.

“Businesses have been notified for a long time and there is no need for a warning and the licenses will be cancelled on the first instance,” Dophu Tshering said.

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