Tobacco Products Banned in Kathmandu Metropolitan City Starting Today

In a significant move towards promoting public health and a cleaner environment, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has officially banned the sale, consumption, and transaction of tobacco-based products within its jurisdiction, effective from today.

Chief of the KMC Health Department, Ram Prasad Poudel, announced a comprehensive ban covering all 32 wards of the metropolis. The prohibition extends to the sale, storage, and consumption of tobacco products packaged in plastic, encompassing items such as raw tobacco, chewing tobacco, bidi, tambakhu, sulpha, gutkha, and panparag.

The KMC had issued a public notice on November 28, forewarning residents and businesses about the impending ban. Poudel emphasized that the KMC Police will be actively enforcing the ban, with strict measures in place to seize any prohibited tobacco products found being sold.

"We are on a campaign to make Kathmandu a healthy city. We have decided to ban the storage, selling, and use of tobacco-based products that are harmful to people's health and the environment, coinciding with the 29th KMC Day," stated Chief Poudel. This decision aligns with Clause 42 of the Public Health Act issued by the KMC in 2080 BS, reflecting the city's commitment to reducing the adverse effects of tobacco product use on individual health.

The ban on tobacco products, a crucial step in tobacco control, is part of the city's broader efforts to improve public health and create a cleaner environment. Additionally, the KMC is reportedly gearing up to implement a program targeting the control of hukka (hookah) in the second phase of its health initiatives.

As cities worldwide increasingly recognize the importance of curbing tobacco-related health issues and fostering cleaner environments, the KMC's strict implementation of anti-tobacco measures serves as a notable example and contributes to the broader global efforts towards healthier urban living.