Tobacco products, liquor bottles to stick a warning against sale to minor
Tobacco products, liquor bottles to stick a warning against sale to minor

It is most likely that soon all tobacco products, liquor bottles and outlets will stick a warning against sale to minor. According to rules under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, all tobacco products, liquor bottles and outlets selling these products will soon have to carry a health warning that giving or selling intoxicants to a child is a crime punishable with up to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs one lakh.

The government is expected to roll out new norm by next week and it’s mandatory to all the states that are selling these products to implement this norm. However, the new provision might get a strong oppose by the tobacco manufacturers, who are already resisting the norm of 85 per cent coverage by pictorial warnings on packets.

The rules also mandate that tobacco products or liquor cannot be sold within 200 metres of a childcare institution or juvenile justice board office. The rules were drafted by the Maneka Gandhi-led ministry of women and child development with the assistance of an expert committee comprising a senior judge, advocates, juvenile justice board members and state government representatives.

Currently, cigarette and tobacco products can’t be sold to a person below 18 years and also no one can put up a stall or a shop, which sells these items, within the radius 100m radius of educational institutions. The penalty for violation is a measly fine of Rs 200 and up to three months in jail.

Under the JJ Act, which came into effect on January 1, 2016, the penalty provisions have been increased to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 1 lakh fine. The JJ Act is an omnibus law that has introduced new offences, including sale and procurement of children for illegal adoption, corporal punishment at child care institutions, giving children liquor or narcotic drugs or psychotropic substance or tobacco products, use of children by militant or adult groups, offences against disabled children and kidnapping and abduction of children.

 
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