Should sale of unpackaged cigarettes be banned?
Should sale of unpackaged cigarettes be banned?
It is said on one side of cigarette there is fire and on the other side there is a fool’s mouth. The saying is true as despite knowing the dangers of smoking, people do smoke. However, the Indian government is trying to control the damage by banning the sale of unpackaged cigarettes. The government believes that it will drastically bring down the percentage of smokers in India. Do you agree on the matter? Should sale of unpackaged cigarettes be banned?
Yes
• In India, the sales of unpackaged cigarettes form 70% of the total cigarette sales. The ban can significantly lower down the consumption.
• The number of people who die from tobacco-related diseases is estimated to reach 1.5 million by 2020. Seeing the figures, the step of government seems completely justified.
• There are many people who buy single cigarettes as they have some financial or personal constraints. Ban on single smokes will do wonders.
• The sale of unpackaged cigarettes will not only reduce existing smokers, but will also discourage non-smokers or teenagers from trying cigarettes.
• From cigarette companies’ perspective, it might seem a negative trend for short-term but can be used by companies for increasing their sales by introducing small cigarette packs in future. The short term loss will lead to greater benefits for the companies.
No
• Ban of unpackaged cigarettes will have a major impact on cigarette sales leading to a loss of revenues for the cigarette companies.
• If the cigarette companies will witness a drop in sales, the impact will also be there on the tax revenues of the country.
• Smokers will always find alternative ways to smoke and therefore the impact of ban will be short-lived.
• Even the sellers will find some alternative means to sell the cigarettes indicating that only the government will have to suffer in form of lower tax revenues.
• Either it is there or it is not there. There is no mid-way solution to any problem. If the government wants to prevent tobacco-related diseases, it should ban smoking completely.
• The cigarette making companies will introduce new small pack sizes as a contrarian action against the ban.
• The objective of government is to reduce smokers but it can have a negative impact and the single smokes can convert into multiple smokes in the future.
Conclusion
The government wants to ban the sale of unpackaged cigarettes to curb tobacco consumption. However, the ban on unpackaged cigarettes will yield only temporary benefits. In longer term, the ban is going to become meaningless in the industry. Moreover, the implementation of such a ban is not practically feasible. So, instead of placing such kind of bans, government should find out some other effective measures to reduce tobacco consumption.
Discussion
- RE: Should sale of unpackaged cigarettes be banned? -Kris (11/27/14)
- I thing that for one this is not the right way to do it. Second you should really understand that there is a difference between companies. For instance http://www.minecigg.se/ make amazing e cigarettes and they have clean products to show for it.
In my opinio this is not the right way to do it.
Cheers. - RE: Should sale of unpackaged cigarettes be banned? -Deepa Kaushik (11/26/14)
- Smoking is injurious to health. Every smoker is aware of the health hazards of smoking. Banning unpackaged cigarettes is like a gamble that Government has taken. For those who satisfy themselves with single cigarette would either quit smoking or would go for the full packets. Unpacked cigarettes have become a trend in our country.
Smokers who have developed the flavour but lack enough money for buying the full packet might be on the check. They have an opportunity to get rid of this bad addiction. And in case the person is unwilling to quit smoking, could forcibly start stealing money in order to fulfil their whim.
Ban on the product couldn’t help in curbing the tobacco related diseases. Any addiction can be ceased only if the individual is willing to quit the habit. Unpackaged cigarettes ban would not hamper the tobacco sales. It would remain the same as the cigarette manufacturing companies would make their way out in making small packets.
Banning the unpackaged cigarette seems to be an empty stunt by our Government who are taking eye-wash steps to gain repute amongst common man and boast themselves of meeting their promise of getting back the so-called “achche din”. Hence, banning the unpackaged cigarette sale is of no use for the common man in reality.
