22 November 2023 01:07 am
Accordingly, the sale of Dunhill Switch, Dunhill Double Capsule and John Player Gold Pro Cool cigarettes has been stopped.
This step has been taken since November 17.
A case was filed by the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) in Matara, Colombo and Anuradhapura on September 1, 2016 in terms of the Gazette notification of 1982 (33).
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reported that the CTC has informed its retail dealers to immediately stop the sale of these cigarettes and to remove these cigarette packets if they are displayed to the customers in shops.
According to the NATA Act, regulations were introduced by former Health Minister Rajitha Senarathne under Section 30 read with Section 33 of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No. 27 of 2006. According to the gazette, smokeless tobacco products or mixtures that contain tobacco any flavored, coloured or sweetened cigarette that contains tobacco or any electronic cigarette that contains tobacco is prohibited.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said yesterday in Parliament that the Court of Appeal had delivered its verdict on the cases filed by the NATA regarding the suspension of the sale and distribution of the said flavored tobacco items.
He claimed that the verdict had been delivered orally and that it had not been uploaded to its website.
Therefore, he urged the Justice Minister to look into the matter.
Premadasa said the CTC had also filed a case against the NATA before the Court of Appeal.