Monk first to be charged under Bhutan smoking law

THIMPHU - A BUDDHIST monk could face five years in prison after becoming the first casualty of a stringent anti-smoking law in the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, which vows to become the first smoke-free nation.

Bhutan, where smoking is considered bad for one's karma, banned the sale of tobacco in 2005. But with a thriving smuggling operation from neighbouring India, the ban failed to make much of an impact. The new law has granted police powers to enter homes, threatening jail for shopkeepers selling tobacco and smokers who fail to provide customs receipts for imported cigarettes.

A student at a 400-year-old monastic school, the monk has not been publicly identified. He bought the tobacco from the Indian border town of Jaigoan, 170km south of the capital Thimphu and said it was for personal use. The 24-year-old said he was unaware of the new law, according to local media. He was carrying no tax receipt from the customs department.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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