Lok Sabha passes bill on complete ban of e-cigarettes in India

On Wednesday, Lok Sabha passed a bill that seeks to prohibit production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale or distribution of electronic cigarettes. Speaking about the bill, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that such a measure was necessary to protect the youth from a new intoxication being promoted by companies as a new "fashion". The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019, seeks to replace the ordinance issued by the government on September 18 which announced a total ban on e-cigarettes in India. The bill also provides for punishment for disobeying the provisions of the Act including imprisonment which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees or with both. 

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Effects of E-cigarettes on health

E-cigarettes can be detrimental to health, leading to respiratory diseases like Asthma, revealed a new study published in Scientific Reports. It stated that flavoured e-cigarettes, even without nicotine, can be harmful to health. According to the lead author, Dr. Chapman, University of Technology, Sydney, this study is important for those who are especially vulnerable to the effects of smoking. This mainly relates to people with respiratory diseases. He further stated that even though the majority of the e-cigarette smokers use flavoured liquids instead of nicotine, the preservatives in the flavoured liquid can be toxic when inhaled. 

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Ban on E-cigarettes

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while addressing a briefing on September 18 announced a total ban on e-cigarettes in India. The production, manufacturing, sale, import-export and advertising among other things of e-cigarettes will be banned in the country, she stated. The government had released an ordinance on the ban on e-cigarettes. According to the official document, the government of India prohibits the “production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisements of electronic cigarettes in the interest of public health and protect people from harm and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

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