Kathmandu: The selling, consumption, and transaction of tobacco-based products have been prohibited in Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) area starting today. KMC Health Department Chief Ram Prasad Poudel said that a complete ban has been imposed on the sale of tobacco products in all 32 wards of the metropolis. He further mentioned that the selling, storage, and consumption of tobacco products packed in plastics have been entirely prohibited within KMC from today.
The banned tobacco products include raw tobacco, chewing tobacco, bidi, tambakhu, sulpha, gutkha, and panparag, all packaged in plastic pouches. The KMC issued a public notice about this ban on November 28.
KMC Police will seize such products if found being sold. “We are on a campaign to make Kathmandu a healthy city. We have decided to ban the storage, selling, and use of tobacco-based products harmful to people’s health and the environment, coinciding with the 29th KMC Day,” said KMC Health Department Chief Poudel.
He also said that this provision is included in Clause 42 of the Public Health Act issued by the KMC in 2080 BS. The provision in the Act is being strictly implemented to reduce the adverse effects of tobacco product use on individual health.
Tobacco control is the primary condition for improving public health and the environment in the city. KMC is reportedly preparing to implement a program to control hukka in the second phase.
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