INDIA
The 21-day lockdown imposed by the state government has left habitual smokers in a frenzy, and many have ended up rationing the number of cigarettes they smoke, one puff at a time. With the 21-day lockdown causing paan shops across the state to shut down completely, smokers are struggling hard to find their smokes.
Paan shop owners said that most people have stocked up well in advance. “Shutdown of paan shops is certainly a revenue loss, but all businesses are facing losses due to the lockdown and we have to bear it. Many of our regular customers purchase their stocks before shutdown,” said Paresh Chauhan, who owns a city-based paan shop.
The increased demand for cigarettes has also led to packets being sold in the black market at 35-50% higher rates. A number of smokers have taken the lockdown as an opportunity to quit smoking altogether.