Bhutan first nation to ban smoking

[Rose Siding]

GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) -- The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has banned smoking in public and tobacco sales, the first country in the world to do so.

The ban by the reclusive, predominantly Buddhist state follows a decision by its national legislature in July to curb smoking to promote national well-being.

"A total ban on the sale and smoking of tobaccos has been imposed in the country from December 17," said Lily Wangchuk, a spokeswoman at Bhutan's embassy in New Delhi.

"It is for the well-being of the people, to protect the environment and preserve our culture," she told Reuters.

People who cannot kick the habit can import tobacco for personal use, but at a 100 percent tax. They can only smoke indoors in the privacy of their homes.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/17/bhutan.smoking.reut/index.html

[highnooner]

1. Hence, the downfall of the Mini-Mart in Bhutan

[truthisfreedom]

9. perhaps an increase in chocolate sales?

[radwriter0555]

2. That's AWESOME!

An entire non-smoking country.... how cool is that?

Good for them!

[napi21]

10. If you're so pleased, maybe they'll give you citizenship!

[donsu]

12. agree, and I like the 'only smoke in own home' bit

that's progressive

[radwriter0555]

17. Sounds to me like a nation smart enough to realize that becoming

or fostering the addiction to US Capitalist Republican funded, disease generating, family destroying, tools of impoverishment can actually be dangerous to the PEOPLE in the nation.

Bhutan is a nation more concerned about the health of its citizens than worrying about if someone's "rights" are "being violated".

I just read somewhere 2 weeks ago, how a pack of cigarettes costs the American taxpayers $43.00 in terms of health care costs passed on, and shared.

I'm a reformed smoker. I quit 3 years ago. To date, I've NOT handed US Capitalist Republicans almost $10,000, just by quitting smoking.

I watched several close very young, very talented friends of mine die from smoking related cancers. I chose to learn from their mistakes, and hope that I'm not too late to save myself from their horrible, tragic deaths.

So I support the moves Bhutan has made to protect its people.

[FiveGoodMen]

18. Absolutely! Nothing as good as having

the government telling you what to do.

Nothing so good as criminalizing everything!

Yup, that's cool!

(Do I need to say /sarcasm?)

[livinginphotographs]

3. And since this worked so well in the US with

marijuana, I'm sure it'll really encourage people in Bhutan to stop smoking.

:eyes:

[benburch]

4. Yeah. We totally eliminated our drug problem with prohibition!

I can't remember the last time I read a story in the paper about somebody being arrested for marijuana possession! (In reality, it was yesterday.)

[rpannier]

5. Another stupid governmental attempt to control

what people do. It'll fail. It's not like it'll encourage tourism or anything. I've been there, the country sucks. Tobacco use is the least of their problems.

[SodoffBush]

7. Tourism is tightly controlled in Bhutan

The Bhutanese don't want their country to turn into another Khatmandu. It costs about $200/day per person for everything, so I read.

I've always wanted to go.

[Minstrel Boy]

8. "I've been there, the country sucks."

Pick out Bhutan.

This -


or this?

[Rose Siding]

11. Those are the choices?

The palace on a treacherous (while lovely) cliff or a frenzied freeway configuration?

[Minstrel Boy]

16. For the purpose of sarcasm, yes.

Something about "I've been there, the country sucks" drove me to it.

[rpannier]

22. Terribly Sorry If You're Offended, but...

I have been there and it's a lousy place to be. If you find that offensive, get yourself a visa to go there, see the country and refute what I said.

[radwriter0555]

19. Palace on the cliff, please. That looks FANTASTIC!!!!!!

*just put Bhutan on the travel list*

I bet more people have died on that freeway, than getting to that palace!!!

[Dulcinea]

13. Creeping fascism.

Do they really think that'll stop people from smoking?

[bemildred]

6. Hardly the first.

It's been tried quite a few times.

[Jack_DeLeon]

14. How very progressive of them....

not. :eyes:

[hel]

15. I am starting to stock cigarettes. n/t

[prayin4rain]

20. LOL....desperate times and all.

[vajraroshana]

21. tobacco and even plastics too

apparently they also have had a "plastics ban".

Bhutan is fascinating. They only recently even got TV, and now have internet in that remote little corner of the Himalayas.

The tobacco ban has been a frequent topic on one of their online forums. Here's an interesting one concerning tobacco and the plastic ban:

http://www.kuenselonline.com/phorum/read.php?f=2&i=31205&t=31205

They also have some strict dress codes that some people have to follow at certain times.

Bhutan is a buddhocracy (?!), I guess instead of a theocracy or pure monarchy. Maybe democratic monarchy influenced by an especially authoritarian form of Buddhism?

Anyway, tobacco is especially reviled by religious clerics in Bhutan. The (religious) gTer-ma traditions have a lot to say about tobacco and none of it is good. Those traditions regard tobacco as demonic, literally. Even worse than smoked opium or marijuana; but those latter two are often considered part of the same demonic intent. Personally I've seen fantastic ornate Bhutanese (and Tibetan) tobacco pipes and tobacco snuff boxes that date from the 18th century in museums. Tobacco isn't anything very new there.