Shocking! SC might consider temporary ban on smoking

Think of a temporary ban on smoking, thanks to Covid-19. The Chief Justice of India today hinted at the same. 

As quoted by Live Law, the CJI asked if there is a study on how many smokers in the past year have succumbed to coronavirus. “If there is a study that shows smoking contributes to covid, we can consider a temporary ban,” he is quoted to have said. 

This is as baffling as it gets. A lot of lifestyle-related habits, diseases and afflictions compromise our immunity. And people with poor immunity are prone to covid-induced complications. If alcoholism is found to be more dangerous than smoking, will the SC ban liquor, too?

It’s usually held that the best way to disincentivize bad habits like smoking is to raise taxes on sin goods.