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| Jammu heeds anti-tobacco calls, Kashmir high on smoking spree | | | SALMAN NIZAMI
JAMMU, June 2: The ban on smoking in public places has had an effect on the sale of tobacco products in Jammu but not in Kashmir, if one goes by what retailers, who cover the last mile sales, say that due to stress and unemployment menace youngsters particularly and all people generally in Kashmir are getting inclined towards intoxication but at Jammu retailers found that people are inclined towards chewing of tobacco etc and less inclined towards cigarette smoking the main reason for its increase in mercy.
In a survey conducted by a J&K based NGO named “Khidmat” after the implementation of the ban last October among the retailers of tobacco products all over the country including the state, an overwhelming majority said the sales had come down. Out of a total 3420 retailers, 1520 said the sale of tobacco products especially cigarettes had come down in the major parts of Jammu province which include Jammu, Samba, Banihal, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Bhaderwah, Udhampur, Chennani, Katra, Reasi, Gool etc. Over 2500 persons said cigarettes sales had declined. Over 350 retailers said the sales of beedies had declined, 70 persons said gutka sales had declined, and 110 said sales of other tobacco products had come down. A total of 1900 retailers interviewed for the study had at least 25 percent of their income due to sale of tobacco products accounted for over 25 percent to 50 percent of their income.
“The result of the study are further proof that implementation of the smoking ban is working well in Jammu,” says Dr Jasbir Singh Director Health Services Jammu. He said that in addition to the hoardings, placards are established at every crossing to create awareness among the people. He appreciated the people who behaved in educated manner for supporting non smoking environment voluntary.
The study was conducted between October 2008 and March 2009 to test the effectiveness of the implementation, according to Dr Saba Rashid Chairman of the NGO.
The offence of selling a cigarette / beddi pack without a pictorial warning that covers 40 percent of the front of the packet attracts fines for both distributors and retailers. Shehzad Khan legal officer with the NGO said that the distributors will be liable for payment of fine of Rs 5000 of imprisonment or both while retailers have to pay up Rs 1000 or undergo imprisonment, or both.
“ By watching advertisement in television channels now and then forced me to quite smoking , being a chain smoker initially it looked very difficult to quite but with the encouragement of friends and family members made me to quite smoking in a month or so” said Raju Singh an executive with insurance company.
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