Bengaluru: All retailers and wholesalers should have a licence to sell tobacco products. These licences should be displayed prominently at all premises engaged in sale of tobacco products and must be renewed annually.

This has been one of the major recommendations of National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in its report submitted to Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It has released a report-Framework for implementation of tobacco vendor licencing in India. 

Licencing of tobacco vendors is critical to regulate accessibility of tobacco products for protecting Indians from lifelong suffering caused by these addictive products. The adoption of licencing of those selling cigarettes, beedis and chewing tobacco products, will also facilitate effective enforcement of tobacco control law and policies.

The report analysed the concept of vendor licencing to regulate manufacture, sale and use of tobacco products in India. It examined the practice and procedure on vendor licencing adopted by various States and cities in India. The report proposes a model framework for tobacco vendor licencing in consonance with existing laws and global best practices, and the guidelines specified under the global public health treaty on tobacco control, World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control  (WHO FCTC).

“The harmful effects of tobacco use are well-established and accepted globally. Through this report, NLSIU, has recommended a model legal framework for sale of tobacco products through licenced vendors based on the existing law and global best practices. We hope that State and Municipal Governments will consider these recommendations to safeguard Indians especially children and youth from these killer products,” said Prof. (Dr.) Ashok R. Patil, Professor of Law/Research Head, NLSIU, the Chair on Consumer Law and Practice, Bengaluru.