Govt pulls back on harsh cigarette penalties
Jump to full article: Trinidad Express (tt), 2009-11-18
Author: Ria Taitt Political Editor
Intro: Faced with strong opposition to the draconian measures contained in the Tobacco Control Bill, Government yesterday relaxed some of the prohibitions and rolled back some of the harsher penalties.
Health Minister Jerry Narace in winding up in debate in the Senate yesterday said he was backing down with regret and that it bothered him to have to concede on some of the points.
He said the domestic worker was being put at risk as the children in the homes, in conceding that home could not be defined as a workplace, except where it is used for the purpose of 'manufacture, distribution and trade' of tobacco products.
He said the amendments came in the interest of getting the legislation passed.
Government also removed the ban on sale of single cigarettes which would be affected small vendors and the low income smoker.
It also slashed the penalties-for a number of offences-prohibition on sales by minors, on public displays of tobacco products and on the sales of tobacco products in certain places.
Jump to full article » |