India: Goa Police Enforce No-Smoking Ban

Sad, but true. And even more than this: it is also forbidden to smoke on beaches and in open areas. I was stopped by police while walking on the beachfront in Arambol smoking a cigarette just after sunset, 2 weeks ago (end November 2010). The two cops even threatened to arrest me (”Now you come with us!”) and grabbed my bag. I walked off and they left, probably when realizing that there were too many people watching the incident from the crowded restaurants above. My hotel manager told me that this was the law and that usually 200 Rs were charged. From a befriended person in Palolem I heard that there, smoking in restaurants and bars is allowed (ashtrays and so on), while smoking on beaches and open places is forbidden. Stupidity now also in India and Goa, in the service of corruption.

if the ban on smoking should be imposed why should there be no ban on selling tobacco,or for that matter production of tobacco, the countries aviation minister itself has huge stake in the tobacco industry under the name of CEEJAY TOBACCO LTD,if there is no product in the market then there will be no consumption.