E-cigarettes will be banned in India with immediate effect, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Wednesday.
Explaining the ban, she said that such devices which were initially aimed at reducing tobacco consumption and addiction, are increasing the threat for children taking them up as a source of addiction.
“It means the production, manufacturing, import/export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertising related to e-cigarettes are banned,” she said at a press conference.
A penalty of up to one year imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh has been fixed for first time violators, according to a draft ordnance. This can go up to Rs 5 lakh and three years’ imprisonment.
All kinds of alternative smoking devices like e-cigarettes, e-hookahs and vaping products were listed for banning in the list of priorities of the first 100 days’ agenda of the second term Narendra Modi government.
