THIMPU: The National Assembly on Friday passed the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2021 and Tax Bill of Bhutan 2021, in a first step towards lifting the ban and legalising selling, buying, possession, distribution, and transportation of tobacco and tobacco products in the country.
In adopting the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2021 with 35 sitting members, 33 supported the Bill and 1 voted ‘No’. One member abstained from the vote.
The Bill was adopted with the vote of majority to lift the ban on selling, buying and possessing, as well as distributing transporting tobacco and tobacco products in Bhutan. Legalising tobacco comes with the aim of putting a check on spread of COVID-19, threatened by the continuous smuggling of tobacco products through Bhutan’s porous southern border.
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