Tobacco.org

• 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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