An order has been passed banning Vaping Products because of their impact on Young People, Vaping – which involves inhaling a mix typically made of nicotine, water, solvents and flavors – is seen as an alternative to smoking which can help you quit, but its impact on health is still not fully known.

The Government has announced a ban on E-Cigarettes, which means the production, manufacturing, import and export, sale; distribution and advertising related to e-cigarettes are banned; Says Nirmala Sitharaman

India’s ban came a day after New York became the second US state to prohibit the use of flavored e-cigarettes.

India is the world’s second-largest consumer of tobacco products after China, and more than 900,000 people die in the country each year from tobacco-related illnesses

The move was welcomed by people but also raised several questions on why other tobacco products (regular cigarettes, gutka, khaini, beedis etc) did not meet the same fate. The Global Adult Tabacco Survey- 2 (GATS 2) conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2018 reveals that 0.02% of adult Indians use e-cigarettes,11.2% use khaini, 7.7% smoke beedis and 6.8% consume gutka.

People have questioned the government as to why the other tobacco products haven’t been included in the list?

E-cigarettes banned, good. Very good. But curious why we don’t ban real cigarettes and beedis. Is the huge excise and GST collected more important than matters of public health? In that case why all this moral posturing?

— Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) September 18, 2019

Some have even alleged ulterior motives behind the ban saying that the government holds substantial stake in cigarette manufacturing companies like ITC. The tobacco lobby has also been cited as a reason for the same

Fines Under The New Law

Once the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement) Ordinance, 2019 comes into effect, these provisions will become applicable:

1) Any production, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale (including online sale), distribution or advertisement (including online advertisement) of e-cigarettes shall become a cognizable offence in India.

2) This will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to one year or fine up to Rs 1 lakh or both for the first offence.

3) In case someone is caught flouting the law again, the punishment would be imprisonment of up to three years and fine up to Rs 5 lakh.

4) Under the new rule, those found storing e-cigarettes will be punished with an imprisonment up to 6 months or fine up to Rs 50,000 or both.

Besides this, those who have existing stocks of e-cigarettes will have to declare and deposit them with the nearest police station on their own before the ordinance comes into effect.

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