India bans smoking in public, tobacco firms fume

By Krittivas Mukherjee

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India banned smoking in public places on Thursday in an attempt to fight tobacco use blamed, directly or indirectly, for a fifth of all deaths in the world's third-largest consumer.

The ban, which includes all offices and restaurants, will hit its estimated 240 million tobacco users, who are likely to find their homes and cars among the last few places to light up.

The government cites the economic costs and the need to stem the loss of human lives but tobacco firms say the ban infringes on individual rights.

Everyone agrees, though, that implementing the ban could be a problem and much will depend on compliance rather than enforcement.

The ban includes schools and colleges, pubs and discotheques, hospitals and bus stops. Offenders will be fined 200 rupees ($4). On average, a packet of cigarettes costs around 50 rupees.

"Don't wait for enforcing authorities to catch you," said Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss who has long championed a ban on tobacco, urging Bollywood actors not to encourage smoking by lighting up on screen.

Past attempts to ban spitting and urinating in public in India have drawn little success, and the impoverished and lawless state of Bihar has already expressed reservations about the practicalities of implementing the ban.

While rules limiting advertising, marketing and sales existed before, implementation was not very effective.