Bhutan lifted the ban on the sale, distribution, and consumption of tobacco, as its parliament passed the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2021 in an attempt to check Covid spread risk through smugglers. Also, the government has not imposed any tax on the substance. 

The bill was proposed not to benefit consumers or sellers, said Bhutan’s Economic Affairs Minister Loknath Sharma, “The amendment is aimed to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission in the country.”

The National Council passed the bill last week, and it will now be sent for the royal assent. Presenting the bill, Sharma said that even when Bhutan Duty-Free Limited supplied the tobacco products,  people were smuggling them because of the cost. 

“The Bill amendment was to discourage smuggling.” he was quoted as saying by Kuensel. 

From 23 March last year, when the country first went into lockdown, to 12 June, 132 people have been arrested while smuggling tobacco products in Bhutan. 

Significantly, last year, authorities allowed Bhutan Duty-Free Limited  (BDFL) to sell tobacco products in a bid to stop smuggling. However, the BDFL’s inability to supply tobacco to remote parts of the mountainous country could not help check the smuggling. 

Legal experts had raised objections to allow BDFL to sell tobacco products without legal clearance, necessitating the amendment bill. Furthermore, several dzonkahs (administration districts) in the country had refused to allow the sale of tobacco, saying they wanted people to quit the practice. 

(SAM)