New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday introduced in the Rajya Sabha a bill banning e-cigarettes, saying that it will help save the future of the new generation and control tobacco use.
Piloting the 'Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacturing, Import, Export, Transport, Sales, Distribution, Storage and Advertising) Ban Bill' in the House, the minister said e-cigarettes would get the younger
generation in the country intoxicated, like cigarettes.
The Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha and will replace the ordinance issued on September 18.
Speaking at great length on the harm caused by electronic cigarettes, Dr Vardhan said there was scientific evidence that many types of toxins were released from e-cigarettes causing many diseases and were
extremely harmful to health resulting in the September 18 ordinance being brought in banning it in the
country.
Stating that vaping "affects every organ and every cell" of the body, he referred to news reports in August this year, there was an outbreak of vaping cases in America and out of 2,172 cases of vaping in the US, 42 people died in 49 out of 50 American states.
He told the members that e-cigarettes contained nicotine fat and can also cause fatal diseases like cancer. Nicotine sulphate was previously used as a pesticide but has since been banned.
In view of the seriousness of the threat from e-cigarettes, the Government came out with an ordinance on September 18 prohibiting the import, production, sale, advertising, storage and distribution of e-cigarettes across the country. For those violating the ban, a provision of imprisonment of up to one year or fine of Rs
one lakh or both has been made.
He mentioned that in a recent surprise raid in a school in Delhi, as many as 150 vaping devices were
found in school bags and a complete ban was necessary, he felt.
The Health Minister said the government also aims to control tobacco products and he hopes that under the National Health Policy, the government will be able to take maximum control of tobacco ban by 2025. Tobacco has been banned in many countries of the world.
Earlier, Communist Party of India (Marxist) member K K Ragesh said the relevant ordinance should be repealed and the government should have waited for the session of Parliament to pass the measure.
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