Question : Non-Tobacco Products

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether sale of non-tobacco products such as toffees, candies, chips, biscuits, soft drinks, etc. by the seller of tobacco products attract the attention of children to tobacco products;

(b) if so, whether the Government has issued any advisory that retail shops authorized to sell tobacco products cannot sell any non-tobacco products;

(c) if so, the steps taken by the Government to ensure that non-tobacco products are not sold from a licensed tobacco shop across India;

(d) whether any State has issued order/guidelines for stopping tobacco shops from selling any non-tobacco products and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the enforcement mechanism adopted by the States for stopping tobacco shops from selling non-tobacco products?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (c): Yes, this Ministry has requested States/Union Territories to consider developing a mechanism to provide permission/authorization through Municipal Authority/Local Authority to retail shops who are selling tobacco products with a condition/provision in the authorization that the shops authorized for selling tobacco products, cannot sell any non-tobacco product such as toffees, candies, chips, biscuits, soft-drinks, etc., which are essentially meant for children.

(d) & (e): The State Government of Rajasthan (only in Urban Local Bodies’ areas) and other Urban Local Bodies in the State of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar have issued order/circular for stopping tobacco shops from selling toffees, candies, chips, biscuits, soft-drinks, etc.
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