Sales of loose Tobacco and Cigarettes Banned in Punjab

Punjab has become the first state to completely ban the sale of loose cigarettes (as single sticks) and other tobacco items.

The ban had been issued as the loose sale is in violation of Section 7 of the COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products, Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act, 2003).

Section 7 of COTPA prohibits the sale of cigarettes or any other tobacco products unless every package of cigarettes or any other tobacco products sold, supplied or distributed carries specified warning including pictorial warning. The loose items do not have the required pictorial health warnings on them. So the state government puts a complete ban on them.