Date:07/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/07/stories/2008100760320600.htm

Tamil Nadu

Sale of tobacco products dips in Ramanathapuram

C. Jaishankar

“Enforcement must not be a temporary measure”

RAMANATHAPURAM: The sale of tobacco products, particularly cigarette and beedis, has come down although marginally thanks to the much talked ban on smoking, which has reached almost all nook and corners of Ramanathapuram.

Though smokers particularly those addicted to smoking still have apprehensions over the ban in public places, the impact of the section 4 of the Indian Tobacco Control Act 2003, which came into effect on October 2, has been felt by the traders and petty shop keepers. It has become a rare scene to see smokers in public places including bus stands, bus stops, offices, hospitals, railway stations, restaurants, theatres and others.

“Ever since the act has become effective, we have stopped the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in our theatre. In fact, we are insisting the movie comers, at the ticket counter itself, not to carry cigarettes into the theatre. I couldn’t see people puff in the interval,” says J. Dhinesh Babu of Jegan theatre here.

There are around 125 shops, including petty shops, sell tobacco products in Ramanathapuram town alone. Many of the shopkeepers acknowledge that sale of cigarette is not at good a week before.

“It is not that there are no takers for tobacco products. Regular smokers still buy cigarettes and go to “secrete zones” for puffing. Irregular smokers are not showing in buying cigarettes due to restrictions. It has resulted in decline of total sales,” said a beeda stall owner at Vandikara Street.

He said as against the normal sale of 60 pockets a day it had come down to 45-50. He had reduced the procurement from whole sale traders too. If the enforcement agencies were very strict in implementing the law, it might go down as well. Though it was good in general, traders were affected, as the income had come down. He, however, said correct picture would be known only after a few weeks.

He says the campaign on ban on smoking has reached all concerned people, thanks to extensive coverage by news papers and television channels.

While welcoming the law, P. Duraisingam, Chairman, the Federation of Consumer Organizations-Tamilnadu & Puducherry, said enforcement should not be a temporary phenomenon. It was right time that government and social organizations creating concerted efforts to keep the momentum against tobacco usage.