HC directs petitioner to file PIL against tobacco products

The Gujarat High Court today directed a petitioner to file a supplementary public interest litigation (PIL) against various tobacco products being illegally sold in the state.
The direction came from the Gujarat High Court bench comprising acting Chief Justice V M Sahai and Justice R P Dholaria while hearing a PIL which demanded a direction to the state government to curb the menace of the narcotic drug mephedrone.
The PIL, filed in April, had alleged that the banned narcotic drug is being sold openly near schools and colleges to youth.
According to the petition filed by Congress MLA from Dariyapur Gyasuddin Shaikh, mephedrone, which is popularly used as a party drug, is imported into the state from Mumbai and Goa by the drug mafia which resells it to youth at for around Rs 150 to 500 per gram.

While hearing the PIL, the bench today issued notices to the narcotics department, the Gujarat state Home Department and the Gujarat DGP to file their affidavits on this issue.
Later, the Gujarat High Court bench also observed that just like this banned substance, all tobacco products like cigarettes, chewing tobacco, supari, bidi and gutkha are also injurious to health and equally intoxicating as drugs. The bench sought a reply from the government about plans to ban these products as well.
The bench then directed the petitioner to file a supplementary PIL covering these tobacco products and club it with the original PIL seeking action against mephedrone.

The next hearing is scheduled on July 13.