Govt. Bans E-Cigarettes

Govt. Bans E-Cigarettes

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said thatthe Union Cabinet has given approval to ban e-cigarettes. Following thisdecision, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storageand advertising related to e-cigarettes are now banned.

Sitharaman said that the key reason behind the move was thealarming rate at which vaping is becoming popular among the younger population.

Sitharaman, while announcing the government's decision to put aban on e-cigarettes said that e-cigarettes were promoted as a way to get peopleout of their smoking habits but reports have shown that many people are notusing it as weaning mechanism but are addicted to it.

The minister further stated that reports say that there are somewho are probably getting into the habit of e-cigarettes as it seems cool. It isbelieved that there are more than 400 brands, none of which is manufactured inIndia. And they come in over 150 flavours.

The minister, who is heading a Group of Ministers on the issue,said that the Cabinet decided to ban e-cigarettes and similar products as theypose a health risk to people, especially the youth.

A draft ordinance suggests that the storage of e-cigarettes will now be punishable by Rs. 50,000 imprisonment up to six months or both.

After the announcement of Sitharaman on ban on e-cigarettes,cigarette stocks climbed on the stock market. Shares of ITC rose over 1.5percent, Godfrey Philips India stocks jumped close to eight percent and GoldenTobacco went approximately up to 4.5 percent.

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