Comments on: The fight against India’s tobacco addiction

By: Sandip

Sandip — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:40:20 +0000

This is where I am not quite sure. I would like to see kids and adults not use this product but would not like to have it banned either. The reason for not having ban is any ban causes underground industry to start up. Which gives rise to gangs and turf wars. Banning Gutka means it is in same category as Heroin.

May be better education could be a way to go? or increasing taxes is other way to go? Being in Canada for cigarettes the policy of high taxes have worked pretty well and tax could be collected at the company instead of after sales. This would ensure that taxes are paid and average price is higher then what kids could afford. Say Rs. 10 tax would mean price would go to Rs. 11 from current price. Expecting some tax theft, average price would still work out to be around Rs. 8 or 9. This could make it out of reach for kids and also generate income for state governments. They can use similar production tax laws which makes producing this product uneconomical meaning people will never get cheap product. Making them stop using the product or manufacturers will stop making the product as it is no longer cheap product.

By: Syed

Syed — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:03:12 +0000

why are we discussing India’s problems? we got heaps of ours internally, I don’t why all of a sudden “indian issues” are making headlines here, are we trying to ignore problems at home and focusing on somewhere else?

By: Shahid Niaz

Shahid Niaz — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 06:36:25 +0000

It is an up-hill task to ban gutka. But someone and somewhere a start has to be made. Let us be the one!
Awareness campaign for the deadly effects of gutka should be aimed at the mothers and fathers of children and not at the children themselves. Similarlythe wives should be targeted to indiscreetely compell their husbands to forego the bad habit.