India also ban smoking in public places

India banned smoking in public places on Thursday. The Thursday's ban was the government's second try in four years and came on the birthday of India's independence leader, Mohandas Gandhi, who did not smoke or drink.

As more countries have clamped down on smoking in recent years, Indians have freely puffed away at playgrounds, railway stations, sidewalk cafes and even hospitals. No more, and a violator will get a $5 fine.

For years, anti-smoking laws in this nation of nearly 1.2 billion people have been widely ignored. And tobacco companies have fought the government to keep warnings off boxes.

By :

SYAKIRAH AHMAD,

A 116980