From: The NEWS Minute [India]
Every year, on World Tobacco Day, there is a barrage of media news reports, articles, op-eds and campaigns calling for a ban on public smoking, stricter regulations against tobacco companies and efforts from governments to discourage smoking. This year, there was a difference. For a change, the problem of illicit tobacco caught the attention of the United Nations. On Sunday, May 31, the body called for an end to the illegal trade.
While the much-bandied-about issue has been that of the warning size on tobacco packets and the government PSAs imploring the smoker to kick the butt, the problem of “fake cigarettes” or illicit tobacco products which are smuggled into the country has been largely ignored.
The market for counterfeit cigarettes in the country has been booming. According to 2012 media reports, 17 billion cigarette sticks are smuggled into India each year, and that its market in 2010-11 was worth close to Rs 1,700 crore.
