Ban tobacco products in military: Vardhan

Minister also wants states to levy 50 pc VAT on them

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday asked Defence Minister Arun Jaitley to stop selling tobacco products at army canteens and declare naval ships as no-smoking zones to promote a healthy lifestyle in the military.

“The armed forces establishments must stop selling tobacco products through their canteens and the ministry may revisit its policy of making available cigarettes and other tobacco products at a discount to service members,” wrote Vardhan in a letter to Jaitley.

Moreover, all defence establishments including naval ships should be declared “no smoking” zones for creating a healthy and fit force, he said.

Rejecting the popular argument of military men requiring cigarette and other tobacco products for stress relief, Vardhan said tobacco-users in the military report higher levels of stress than non-users.

Army officials, however, pointed out that CSD canteens did not sell tobacco products. But there are different types of privately-run shops inside cantonment areas where tobacco products are sold.

“The argument that tobacco is a necessity for military service members devalues their long-term quality of life and ignores the healthy, effective means of stress relief,” said the health minister, who demanded higher level of taxation on tobacco products in the upcoming budget from Jaitley.

Vardhan has also written to the all the chief ministers to consider levying a value added tax (VAT) of at least 50 per cent on all tobacco products including bidis, and to develop a tax policy to make tobacco products less affordable over time.

The health minister conceded that efforts to remove tobacco products from the military might be met with opposition from the tobacco industry lobby, but it was required to keep the armed forces physically and mentally fit. He also advocated for an information campaign on the deleterious effects of tobacco products in the military.

As it kills more than 6 lakh individuals worldwide including more than 1 lakh Indians, the World Health Organisation considers tobacco as one of the world's biggest public health threats.