New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) A bill which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, storage, and advertisement of electronic cigarettes, was taken up in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing on Tuesday.
Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan moved The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019 for consideration and passing.
The proposed legislation replaces an Ordinance promulgated in September 2019.
Initiating the debate, Congress floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said there should be no difference between traditional cigarettes and e cigarettes and all types of tobacco should be banned.
He said 16 states, including Delhi and Maharashtra, have already banned e-cigarettes and asked what was the necessity to promulgate the Ordinance in this regard..
He said 30 countries, including Thailand , have banned e cigarettes while 90 countries, including the UK and Canada, have decided to go against the ban.
Mr Chowdhury said various regulations should be in place to stop the tobacco usage and asked 'why are you rushing to ban without resorting to other measures?'
BJP member Varun Gandhi said all e-cigarettes contain harmful substances and are 1.6 times more harmful than traditional cigarettes .
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