E-CIGARETTES BANNED
The Modi government has announced a ban on e-cigarettes saying they pose health risks to the youth and their addiction is increasing.Once the ban comes into force, consumption, production, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of e-cigarettes would become illegal in India
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said E-cigarettes were promoted as a way to get people out of their smoking habits but reports have shown that many people are not using it as [a] weaning mechanism but are rather addicted to it.
According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), depending on the battery output voltage used, nicotine solvents can release in varying amounts potential carcinogens such as acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and acetone. The liquid-vapourising solutions also contain “toxic chemicals and metals that can cause several adverse health effects including cancers and diseases of the heart, lungs and brain”. The ICMR report says: At the population-level the “adverse health impact will outweigh any presumed benefit to individual cigarette smokers”.
The Prohibition of E-cigarettes Ordinance, 2019, was recently examined by a Group of Ministers (GoM) following directions from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The ordinance proposes maximum imprisonment of up to one year along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh for first-time violators, and imprisonment of upto 3 yrs & fine upto Rs 5 lakh for subsequent offences.
The ordinance will need to be approved by Parliament when it meets in November.
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