NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is all set to ban e-cigarettes that are often sold as ‘safer’ alternatives to cigarettes.
The initiative has been planned to be implemented within the first 100 days of the second term of the Modi government.
Only a few days back, the e-cigarette was included as a product in the Drugs and Cosmetic Act which made way for a law on it.
The ministry had last year issued an “advisory” to all states and Union Territories not to allow the sale, distribution and usage of e-cigarettes, vape, flavoured hookahs, e-sheesha and e-nicotine-products categories as e-nicotine delivery systems.
This had been done following recommendations of an expert committee that said these products contain carcinogens and do not offer a safe alternative to tobacco smoking.
“A technical committee of the ministry evaluated findings of a WHO 2016 report saying e-cigarette is lethal and can lead to serious health conditions,” an official said.