Reminded & Disturbed

Introduction of Tobacco Control Act has been a long time controversial amongst the Bhutanese and quite an awestruck for the first time foreign hearers, rising of tax on alcohol beverages was another hit. Although, most voices are disappearing now in contrast to few months ago, I am still bogged and often ponder if the legislation passed was satisfying enough to replenish the greed of every individual in considering it as equitable. Anyway, below are some of my lingering thoughts and one shall not take into a matter of serious concern as to if I am right or wrong. This is my lone opinion and does not in any manner provoke in defying any individual, organization, or nation at large.   

Source: Google Image

The Government of Bhutan has taken a very huge leap in introducing the Tobacco Control Act and may be the first nation to ban smoking in public areas. The smokers with valid licenses are restricted to smoking in permissible areas like ‘smoking room’. While the majors (rich or high ranked) are less affected, the minors (residing in remote areas or who are backed by poor financial) are striped off their long time availed luxury of buying from nearby shop and smoking anywhere and anytime they whim for. The locals seldom produce any tobacco substances on their own and needs to be constantly dependent on imports by the shoppers, who on varying intervals make a visit to India or Bangkok staking their life at risk for the prize of reaping some profits. According to the Tobacco Control Act, 2010, no individual is allowed to buy tobacco or tobacco products for selling purposes. A person is entitled to importing “200 sticks of cigarette/bidi or 30 pieces of cigar or 150 grams of other tobacco and tobacco products” per month for self-consumption only (Tobacco Control Rules and Regulations, 2011). However, with building pressure from the people the Tobacco Act has been amended once. Although majority of the rules still remain intact to the original, individuals can now consume almost the double in retaliation to its initial permissible quantity. In addition, importer shall pay '100% Sales Tax if imported from India' and '100% Sales Tax and 100% Customs Duty if imported from countries other than India' and that again for self-consumption only (Tobacco Control Rules and Regulations, 2011). Due to all such restrictions and impositions, the businesses of shoppers are becoming hideous. While some find secretly burying in rice is helpful, there are others who consider hiding below car seat cushion is smarter way to cheat law. Because of all such hardships and risks a shopper has to endure, the prices have hiked double the initial when smoking was permissible and no such law was passed.

Source: Google Image

Nonetheless, it’s quite another story to see people still smoking in areas that are considered forbidden and threatened if caught red handed. There are many incidences where I spotted people with varying ages smoking in snooker rooms, hotels, and in the middle of town. It is also fascinating to see people ‘possibly big shots’ driving big loaned cars, smoking freely in the middle of town as they pass by policemen without the slightest of hinge that they are breaching the very young law that is in action. Alas! Policemen seem least, if not at all bothered by such situation either. So, the question is, whom the law is actually bended to?       

It would always come as astonishment if I ever come across someone who just quit smoking because a law has come into action and he/she is strictly obliged to being patriotic. I still see people in possession of smoking about the same, if not more numbers of sticks of cigarette every day. So, I am not really sure how effective the ban on tobacco or tobacco products is momentarily or long down the road.

Of late, I have been reminded and disturbed by the “Under Age” restriction policy for smoking and drinking as well. If government is willing to expend tens and thousands of money in formulating and implementing new laws of a kind that has similar consequence of the ones already existing in a nut shell, then why is under age smoking/drinking not looked into as a serious matter? This law or rather policy has been passed for years yet at the moment it simply seems undermined. Involvement of youths in battering, smuggling, robbing, intruding, murdering, and etc. are at serious hike and the very prominent factor/stimulus being the consumption of alcohol and tobacco substances. Yes! The government is also trying to minimize the consumption of alcohol by raising its import tax. However, the consumers seem to be again least, if not at all bothered. I am starting to draw the conclusion that whatever the law or imposition government is trying to intervene with for the interest and well being of every individual and preservation of environment, the heed and appreciation from general public is minimum. The only hope I can cling onto is foster the under age restriction of consumption of alcohol/smoking and not add unnecessary laws that would intrigue individuals in improvising towards performing actions that would bring direct/indirect impact to the society as a whole.