Apr 26, 2012

HC tells govt to consider curbs on tobacco


ALLAHABAD: The Allahabad high court in an important direction has directed the state government to now consider the appropriateness of restricting the consumption, sale and distribution of tobacco and nicotine in food products on the same lines as the MP government has already put restrictions on the consumption, sale and distribution of the tobacco and nicotine in food products.
Passing this order on a PIL filed by Indian Dental Association and UP state & others, a division bench consisting of Justice Amar Saran and Justice Anurag Kumar has asked the chief secretary of the state either to put restriction on the same lines as in MP or show cause through the appropriate secretary in this court by the next date on May 23, 2012as to why such a direction imposing the restrictions on the consumption, sale and distribution of tobacco and nicotine in food products may not be issued by this court for enforcement of regulation to 2.3.4 prohibiting the use of tobacco and nicotine as an ingredient in any food product.
The bench has also made it open to the manufactures of the paan masala and gutkha products to move intervention application for clarifying their position by the next date. The petitioner through the PIL seeking ban on the production , sale and consumption of tobacco and nicotine in food products, it has been alleged that the use of the same are causing oral cancer.
It was submitted in the court that " food safety and standards ( prohibition and restrictions on sale) regulations 2011 " under the food safety and standards act 2006 has been enacted empowering union government to frame regulation to put ban on the use of tobacco and nicotine.The court in its order referred that " according to a study conducted by the indian counsel of medical research and the WHO ( world health organization), south east asian regional office, new delhi, 2001 , 80 percent

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