About 159 people have been arrested, in less than three years of implementation of Tobacco Control Act 2010 (TCA).
Majority of them were arrested during the initial phase of the implementation of the Tobacco Control Act. In 2011 alone, 92 people were declared as offenders. In the following year, 55 people were arrested. In 2013, as of May, the police have recorded 12 offenders.
The Senior Programme Officer, Chhimi Dorji, with the Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency, said the implementation of TCA have been riddled with challenges given the shortage of manpower.
“Firstly, we have overall challenge as a law enforcement agency, or any law enforcement agency is a hazardous profession. In the sense, the officers voluntarily put themselves into a potentially dangerous situation in order to protect the community and society they live in.” He said the enforcement officials have to constantly educate themselves about the dangers they might face and how to minimise those risks.
He said despite shortfall, BNCA will further tighten the inspection schedule soon.
Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency has 21 staff including the director general and sweeper. The Tobacco Control Division, in particular, has just one officer.
