Cigarettes have NOT been banned in Goa

Yesterday, social media was abuzz with news that ‘cigarettes were banned’ in Goa, thanks, in large part, to a Times of India report headlined Sale of cigarettes banned in Goa. No, the sale of cigarettes are not banned in Goa, so relax, and look forward to the sip of beer with a drag on the cigarette. The only difference is, the shack or bar where you might be eating and drinking will not, unlike the last time you visited Goa, stock and sell cigarettes. Cigarettes will continue to be sold by the local grocer, the cigarette shop, the departmental store, and so on. They will continue to be sold legally— so cigarettes will not be sold in the ‘black’ market. [caption id=“attachment_472401” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Pic used for representational purposes only.[/caption] “The Government of Goa has issued directives to all the eating premises and establishments in the State not to keep or sell or provide any tobacco or tobacco products in any form of cigars, cigarettes, biddies, Gutka, hukkahs, etc at their respective eating places and any instance of detection of such non-compliances shall be dealt with severely under the law in force,” says the Goa government notification on the issue. Thanks to The Times of India report, a non-issue became one. Many eating houses, restaurants and bars, even in cities like Mumbai, have stopped selling cigarettes and other tobacco products from the time smoking was banned in such establishments, so the Goa order is no big deal. Except, of course, that distances between outlets can be a few kilometers, so the next time you, a smoker, go to Goa, please ensure you have adequate stocks before you go late night shack-hopping.