Smoking zones in eateries and pubs may go

New Delhi: In a bid to provide “effective protection” to non-smokers from “involuntary exposure” to tobacco smoke, the government has decided doing away with the “smoking zones” in hotels and restaurants. Citing that the provision of designated smoking area has led to mushrooming of Hookah bars — leading to commercialisation of “hookah tobacco” — the government has recommended removal of designated smoking zones in hotels and restaurants.

The government also proposed to ban “spitting” of tobacco in public places.

“It is proposed to expand the scope of Section 4 from “prohibition of smoking in public places” to “prohibition of tobacco use in public places.

The word use is explained to include both smoking and spitting of tobacco at public places,” explains the draft of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (Prohibition of advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution (Amendment) Bill 2015 placed on Tuesday in public domain.

As reported by this newspaper first, while it will soon be illegal to smoke under 21 years of age, those caught smoking in public will have to shell out more.

The government has proposed to raise the fine to Rs 1000 from Rs 200 on smoking at public places.

Widening the definition of “public place”, it also recommended removal of provision of allowing smoking designated smoking area in hotels and restaurants.

“The objective of COTPA is to provide effective protection to non-smokers.

“However, the provision of designated smoking areas in certain public place undermined the very objective of the act to protect non smokers from involuntary smoke,” says the draft.