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Nepal (AHN) – Nepal’s government has banned smoking and chewing tobacco in any public places. The law becomes effective after 90 days, according to the Nepali legal provision.

With the implementation of the law, tobacco companies must allocate 75 percent of the space on packets, wrappers or labels of any tobacco product for anti-tobacco use messages and pictures, becoming the first Asian country to make such provision mandatory.

Health Secretary Sudha Sharma said that a massive awareness campaign will be launched nationwide to enforce the new provision to combat the tobacco related deaths that increase every year.

The bill bans smoking in government offices, educational and health institutions, airports, public vehicles, daycare centres, old-age homes, orphanages, clubs, public toilets, industries, factories, theatres, cinema halls, hotels, restaurants, canteens, hostels, lodges and guesthouses. Stadiums, covered halls, swimming pools, department stores and religious places will also be declared no-smoking zones.

The bill has also includes a provision on the sales of tobacco. Only specially licensed shops can sell tobacco, however, it forbids the sale of tobacco to people under the age of 18 years and to pregnant women. Individuals and firms, which breach the rules, will be subjected to a fine of 1.5 to $15,000 depending on the nature of violations.

Though the advertisement and other forms of publicity of tobacco products through the electronic media are banned, the bill also bans the tobacco firms from sponsoring public programmes.

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