The Union Cabinet is likely to approve an ordinance prohibiting the manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes in the country. The law would make production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution or advertisements of e-cigarettes a cognizable offence.
Anti-tobacco health experts are calling it a move in the right direction but the tobacco industry and its allies state that if enforced, this would be a “draconian law hitting at the livelihood of many.”
As per the draft bill, the offence will be punishable with jail up to one year or fine up to ₹1 lakh or both for first-time offenders, and jail of up to three years and fine up to ₹5 lakh for repeat offenders. Storage of e-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment up to six months or fine up to ₹50,000 or both.
Experts from various fields have welcomed the move and urged the government to pass the ordinance in the larger interest of public health.
India has the second largest number of tobacco users (268 million ) in the world – of these at least 12 lakh die every year from tobacco-related diseases.
