Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has decided to publish the gazette notification to ban sale of cigarettes within 100 meters of school grounds on April 7 on the occasion of the World Health Day.
Although it had previously decided to ban the sale of cigarettes within a 500 meters radius ofnear the schools, it has been reduced to 100 meters now.
The Minister has further decided to raise the minimum age to purchase cigarettes. Earlier sale of cigarettes was prohibited for anyone below the age of 18 years and it will be raised to 21 years of age.
Cabinet approval is to be obtained for the revisions in the near future.
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