Sorry smokers. President Emomali Rahmon signed a law on limited use of tobacco in new edition today.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, Emomali Rahmon today signed thirty-three laws adopted Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament last year.
Among them are laws on the status of the capital city, on legal status of foreign nationals and stateless persons in Tajikistan, the limited use of tobacco and so forth.
Recall, Tajikistan toughened tobacco product regulations on October 25 last year adopting the law on limited use of tobacco in new edition.
The law, in particular, bans sale of tobacco in administrative buildings, landings of residential buildings, elevators, offices of government and non-government enterprises, pedestrian subways, airports, train stations, dormitories, health centers, cafes, restaurants and public transport.
The law also bans sale of tobacco products by piece and barter of tobacco products for other goods and services as well as free distribution of tobacco products to the population, the deputy minster noted.
Besides, the law stipulates that public health and social protection bodies reportedly may give permission to smoke in penitentiary institutions, elderly centers and psychiatric hospitals on the basis of a request from appropriate structures. Special places for smoking will be established in those institutions.
Recall, the applicable Law on Limited Use of Tobacco came into effect in Tajikistan on January 1, 2011. Under this law, sale of tobacco and smoking in schools, hospitals, organizations and enterprises irrespective of forms of their property, airports, train stations, recreation areas, sports and culture facilities and in public transport is banned. Additionally, sale of tobacco closer than 100 meters to kindergartens, schools, hospitals and other educational and healthcare institutions is banned. The law also bans sale of tobacco to and by teenagers. Smokers now have to use special places. Those who break the law will have to pay a fine from 5 to 15 indexes (one index now makes 50 somoni) for natural persons from 30 to 300 indexes for legal entities.
