Bihar prohibited Sale and Manufacturing of All Tobacco Products for Next One Year

Bihar Government on 30 May 2012 prohibited the sale and manufacturing of all the tobacco products for next one year. The decision taken on the eve of 'World No-Tobacco Day', made Bihar the third state in the country to ban tobacco products. Earlier Madhya Pradesh and Kerala had come out with the same decision.

The state government’s move is based on the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India regulation no 2.3.4 which seeks to ban tobacco or nicotine products. The regulation was issued by the Union Government of India on 1 August 2011. People who found violating the order would be awarded with a punishment ranging from monetary fine of upto 3 lakh rupees to imprisonment of one year.

Earlier Madhya Pradesh had become the first state to ban all the food products containing tobacco. The state had issued a notification in this regard on 7 May 2012.