Health Ministry Issues Advisory to States to Ban E-Cigarettes
Following the advisory of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), 11 states in India (Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Mizoram) and 1 Union Territory (Puducherry) have banned the use and sale of E-cigarettes, Vape & E-Hookah due to its health hazards. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India on 28th August 2018 issued an advisory to all States/UTs, to ensure that Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), e-Cigarettes, Heat-Not-Burn devices, Vape, e-Sheesha, e-Nicotine Flavoured Hookah, and the like devices that enable nicotine delivery are not sold (including online sale), manufactured, distributed, traded, imported and advertised in their jurisdictions. The move came in the wake of the Delhi HC taking strong exception to the Centre for delay in coming up with appropriate measures to tackle the “new emerging threat” of e-cigarettes in the country.However, the Delhi High Court stayed the Directorate General of Health Services Central Drugs Standard Control circular and directed the Government to file their appeal and listed the case hearing for May 17. This is infact disheartening when especially the health effects of e-cigarettes are equally grave if not more than normal cigarettes. However the Delhi High Court stay doesn’t apply to the 11 states and 1 UT which have banned E-cigarettes.
“We urge the states to use the Health Ministry advisory to ban E-cigarettes and other nicotine delivery products and protect the youth in their state. E-cigarettes pose significant health risks to users that are frighteningly similar to those of conventional cigarettes “said Shri Ashim Sanyal, COO, Consumer VOICE New Delhi.
Consumer VOICE has sent press releases to its partner states (Madhya Pradesh, Andhara Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhatisgarh, Chandigarh, Haryana, Assam, Goa, Odisha) urging them to ban e-cigarettes as per the advisory of the MoHFW.