Petition before Supreme Court to raise smoking age to 21, ban sale of loose cigarettes

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Central government to come up with plans to tackle cigarette and smoking addiction [Shubham Awasthi & Anr v. Union of India].The plea moved by advocates Shubham Awasthi and Sapta Rishi Mishra sought among other things, an increase in smoking age from 18 to 21, removal of designated smoking zones from commercial places and airports, ban on sale of loose cigarettes and ban on sale of cigarettes near educational institutions, healthcare institutions and places of worship. The petitioners also sought directions to increase the penalty for smoking in public places. .Besides, the petitioners also batted for initiation of scientific studies, and other steps to control the sale and addiction of tobacco in India, especially cigarettes, as they affect citizens' right to health..Placing reliance on a news report regarding the failure of the Health Ministry to regulate smoking, the plea submitted that the rate of smoking has increased in the last two decades, with India now ranking second in the smokers category for the 16 - 64 age group."The young people getting addicted to smoking of tobacco products do so in order to look cool or under peer pressure. They see adults smoking and it becomes a rite of passage or their inducement to initiate smoking to show that they are matured now," the petitioners submitted. .Further relying on empirical evidence, the petitioner referred to a study published in the Journal of Nicotine and Tobacco Research which flagged the severe economic burden of second hand smoke exposure in India.It was highlighted that as per the study, second hand smoke causes ₹567 billion in health care costs annually."This accounts for eight per cent of total annual health care expenditure, on top of Rs. 1,773 billion in annual economic burden from tobacco use," read the plea. .Therefore, the petitioners stated that the outcome of this petition would benefit all citizens.