The law banning the sale of cigarettes within a distance of 100 metres around schools will be gazetted on April 7 to coincide with World Health Day, according to a decision taken by Health Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne.
A press release by the Health Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Ministry said the earlier decision was to ban the sale of cigarettes within a distance of 500 metres around schools. But, subsequently, it was reduced to 100 metres.
Furthermore, the Minister has also decided to raise the age limit of persons to whom cigarettes could be sold from 18 to 21 years after gaining Cabinet approval for it.