Butt OffCourse!!

No...this post has nothing to do with the Gluteus Maximus..

Puff Puff..*COUGH COUGH*.. the thick smoke clears over the 'sutta' shops as the rain clouds gather over those who are regulars at these 'establishments'.
Come 2nd October(a dry day!! :( ), the union health minister Ramadoss has promised to make good on his promise to Kick Butt...er..make you kick that butt!.

The tobacco industry has been a controversial one since The Readers Digest ,in the 1950s, published a scientific study about the harmful effects of nicotine. Disaster Management on the part of some companies gave birth to a profession that feeds many people across the world today.PR..some PR agencies still have a frequent flyers' pass to the inside of courts in the United States..but thats another story..

Over the last few years..Mr.Ramadoss has taken it upon himself to rid India of this evil.or so it seems...ofcourse ITC under Mr.Deveshwar has tried to diversify itself against such a HIT(no pun intended).

First came the ban on smoking in public places. ButtOffCourse..that remained largely on paper.. Then in a bid to run out dead n decaying tobacco companies like GTC..the finance ministry raised the levy on non filtered 'suttas'..ask the common man in MP how much that hit them.. All this move did is give impetus to the gray and fake market cigarettes..the contents of some of which are questionable to say the very least..Over the years this industry has amassed it self to more than a tenth of the market..which is HUGE and Dangerous!... Not such a great move minister.

Another interesting thing to note is that in the immediate aftermath of such decisions, announcements, price hikes and other such deterrents. Sales go through the roof.. After all the only thing that can cushion a blow of the increase in cigarette prices is...you guessed it right..a 'sutta' :)...

The latest move aims to restrict smoking to homes-only if the lady of the house gives her consent- and maybe those last bastions of hope for dragtakers..the local sutta shop..
How successful will it actually be??.....

Phew...Im stepping out to exercise my butt...er...legs..anyone care to join me?!
:P