The Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam on Friday demanded that the prohibition order on manufacture and sale of all tobacco-related products in the state be extended by one year.
Members of the forum submitted a memorandum stating their demand to Monalisa Goswami, commissioner of the state food safety department.
The prohibitory order will expire on November 22.
Also read: Consumer Legal Protection Forum Assam demands removal of all designated smoking areas
Ajoy Hazarika, secretary of the Forum said that the prohibitory order should be extended for one year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. ,
Consumption of tobacco products causes immense harm to vital organs of the body, he said.
According to available statistics, the state has an average tobacco consumption of 48.2 per cent, which is almost double of the national average of 28.6 per cent.
41.7 per cent of people use smokeless tobacco in some form.
In Assam, smokeless tobacco users are three times that of smokers.