In a government move to battle the growing tobacco problem and prevent sales to children, tobacco retailers in Uttar Pradesh now require a license to sell tobacco products, reports The Economic Times.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had sent a letter to all state governments advising that tobacco vendors should be licensed. This follows a study by the Welfare that shows 35.5 per cent of adults (15 years and over) use tobacco products in Uttar Pradesh. According to the study, the total direct and indirect cost of disease caused by using tobacco is INR 182,000 crore (USD 24.85 billion) which amounts to 1.8 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Not only do tobacco vendors in Uttar Pradesh now require a license, they are also no longer allowed to sell non-tobacco products such as candy and soft drinks in order to prevent children from being exposed to tobacco products, reports The Economic Times.
It is now mandatory for tobacco sellers in Uttar Pradesh to take a license. The government has taken this decision keeping in mind the growing problem of tobacco and the danger it poses to public health and also ensure effective enforcement of the rules and policies applicable for tobacco control.