Even Bhutan, the only country in the world to ban the sales of tobacco products 10 years ago, lifted that ban at least temporality to allow tobacco sales as an anti-Covid-19 measure.
Bhutan Duty-Free sells the tobacco and tobacco products to curb the black market and control smuggling which might transmit Covid-19.
Following the allegations of overriding the tobacco Act, the Finance Minister said that protecting the country is important as rampant smuggling is happening along the border area which might transmit Covid-19 in the country. Bhutanese to buy tobacco products for personal consumption from the BDFL outlets by paying 100% tax.
One person commented in a news story that easing up on the sales should have been done earlier saying “it would have brought economic benefits to the government [and] many people wouldn’t have gone to jail for smuggling.”