Khairul Alam: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare wants to tighten the Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005. The health care department of the ministry has also prepared the draft of the amended law.
Stringent provisions have been added to control smoking and use of tobacco products, while fines have also been proposed to be increased. However, most of the comments by the Cabinet Division were against toughening the law and increasing penalties.
The draft of the amended law was sent to an 11-member committee headed by the additional secretary, law division of the cabinet, before being presented in the cabinet meeting.
The committee of the cabinet department reviewed the draft of the health department and made 10 comments. Most of whose comments are against toughening the law and increasing the punishment.
This information is known from the details of the committee meeting held to examine the draft of the amended law and the draft of the cabinet department.
According to officials concerned, the draft of the ‘Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2023’ is awaited to be presented in the cabinet meeting after amendments as per the comments of the cabinet division.
Previous legislation included designated areas or ‘smoking areas’ for smoking in public places or on public transport. The amended law proposes to repeal it.