Indian government bans e-cigarettes citing health hazard
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Sitharaman said Union Cabinet has given its approval to ban e-cigarettes.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the government has decided to ban e-cigarettes due to health hazard.
Sitharaman said Union Cabinet has given its approval to ban e-cigarettes.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: The Union Cabinet has given approval to ban e-cigarettes. It means the production, manufacturing, import/export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertising related to e-cigarettes are banned. pic.twitter.com/qayCrQHPZp
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2019
''The production, manufacturing, import/export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertising related to e-cigarettes are banned,'' the finance minister added.
Reports say that some are probably getting into the habit of e-cigarettes as it seems cool, she said.
It is believed that there are more than 400 brands, none of which is manufactured in India, she said and added, e-cigarettes come in 150 flavours.
More than 900,000 people die each year in the country due to tobacco-related illnesses, according to government data.
Health officials have proposed jail terms of up to three years, with a penalty of up to 500,000 rupees for repeat offenders against the new rules, according to a draft of the executive order.