By News Room
New Delhi. With e-cigarettes being easily available online and at tobacco shops despite the ban, the Union Health Ministry has issued a public notice for strict enforcement of the law prohibiting the manufacture, sale and advertisement of electronic cigarettes.
The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act (PECA) came into force in 2019. The ministry has directed all producers, manufacturers, importers, exporters, distributors, advertisers, transporters including couriers Not directly or indirectly produce or manufacture, import or export or transport or sell e-cigarettes in the form of complete product or any part thereof, social media website, online shopping website, distribution or storage of e-cigarettes to shopkeepers/retailers, etc. has been instructed.
The recently issued notice also asked them not to advertise electronic cigarettes or participate in any advertisement that directly or indirectly promotes the use of electronic cigarettes. Adding a note to the public notice, the ministry said, ;;The offense of production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale (including online sale), distribution, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes is cognizable and punishable as per statutory provisions of law.;Binoy Mathew, Manager, Voluntary Health Association of India said, ;;Despite the Indian government banning electronic cigarettes in 2019, they are readily available in tobacco shops and online and sold to those under 18.
Welcoming the government’s move to bring public notices for strict implementation of the law, he said, “Electronic cigarettes were banned to save our young generation from a new form of toxic addiction.” However, its implementation has been weak, resulting in the market being flooded with cheap and unbranded Chinese-made e-cigarettes. Despite provisions for heavy fines and imprisonment, e-cigarettes are available from a number of sources, including tobacco vendors, general stores and online providers. are widely available. Widespread use of e-cigarettes has been observed among youth, including school children.
“E-cigarette traders have managed to gain a foothold in the market illegally, which the ban has not fully addressed,” said Mathew. Supreme Court advocate Ranjit Singh said, “e- Cigarettes and attractively flavored products are designed to lure the younger generation into nicotine addiction. It is worrying that a banned product is so easily available in the Indian market. He said, “The public notice issued by the Ministry of Health, while clarifying the details of the provisions of PECA, 2019, along with raising awareness on the banned product, has brought this dangerous Shows the government’s determination to stop the product from being marketed in India.
State governments should take similar steps to enforce the ban on e-cigarettes and similar tobacco products. In February, the ministry wrote to all states and union territories to ensure effective compliance of the ban on e-cigarettes , which expressed concern that these devices are still available online and with local sellers. or sold near stationery stores and educational institutions, resulting in easy access to such products by young children.
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Source: Violation of ban on e-cigarettes: Center issues public notice for strict compliance of law
