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Traveling smokers, beware: India bans smoking in public places

by Aaron Hotfelder (RSS feed) on Oct 2nd 2008 at 1:00PM

Smokers who visit India better be careful about where they choose to light up, or they might just find themselves faced with... wait for it... a $5 fine.

Yes, India has just become the latest in a long line of countries to ban smoking in public places, including hospitals, train stations, and even bars. Government officials who supported the legislation, which was passed on the birthday of India's most famous non-smoker, say that the ban is necessary to protect the health of India's roughly 120 million smokers, half of whom are under 30.

But the ban is not without its critics. Many question whether such a broad ban can truly be enforced, especially in India, while others see the new law as an unnecessary infringement on people's abilities to make their own choices.

What do you think, Gadling faithful? Is the smoking ban necessary to protect public health, or an unwarranted interference with personal freedom?

Filed under: India, Travel Health

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Justin Glow Oct 2nd 2008 2:32PM

I noticed on an Indian train once that there were no-smoking signs everywhere that listed the fines one would have to pay if they were caught smoking, but rarely did the signs match. Smoking in one compartment, for instance, would cost you 400 rupees, while smoking another only 200. Smoking in the hallway was an economical fine of only 150.

marvs5 Oct 2nd 2008 5:07PM

Someone's personal freedom does not include infringing upon my right to breathe unpolluted and non-carcinogenic air. If people want to kill themselves (or enjoy the addition of nicotine and tar), they are free to do so in the privacy of their own house or car.

TEJAS KHETANI Oct 3rd 2008 1:23AM

well individually i don`t think it will improve even one percentage of public health.because it will depend upon the personal attitude that weather person wants to leave the smoking or not. if it is banned at public place they will do at their home or somewhere else BUT INCLUDING THAT IF IT IS FOLLOWED STRICTLY ..ya but it`ll restrict them to cut at least` 1 cigarette or bidi from their regular smoking menu..

SA Young Oct 4th 2008 11:24AM

The unrepentant smoker's point of view on smoking in pubs: "If non smoking bars were such a great idea in the first place, then why didn’t non-smokers, who far outnumber smokers almost everywhere, open up their own non-smoking pubs? The simple answer, obvious to any smoker, is that they actually wanted to hang out in the same places where smokers and other free spirits liked to gather, but at no risk to their careful, colourless little lives"... See more at my blog: http://jetsethobo.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/the-lights-are-going-out-all-over-the-world/

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