Maharashtra government may slap hefty tax on tobacco

Stating that the state would soon impose a ban on consumption of tobacco in public places, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that his government would also consider imposing hefty taxes on tobacco, if required.

After visiting Tata Memorial Hospital, Fadnavis said that cancer, which is caused by chewing tobacco and consumption of such substances including gutkha, paan masala as well as cigarettes, ultimately leads to the suffering an entire family. He said that the cancer incidence rate has not fallen in last 20 years and because of this there is a need to create awareness about the same in addition to banning tobacco consumption in public places.

Necessary steps to impose a ban on tobacco chewing in public places would be taken soon, he added.

Pointing out that tobacco as well as paan masala sale was on the rise, especially outside schools and other educational institutions, the chief minister said that the home department along with the education department would enforce the ban on such substances.

Fadnavis informed that the Punjab government had introduced heavy taxes on tobacco but it was not known whether it had impacted on reducing the consumption of tobacco products. The state government, he said, would consider following Punjab by imposing heavy taxes on tobacco and other such substances after ascertaining the impact of such measures.