Ignoring the demand for reconsideration of the ban imposed on e-cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), the Government on Friday introduced a Bill in this regard in the Parliament.
The proposed Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Import, Export, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019, prepared by the Ministry of Health and Family aims to replace the Ordinance that was promulgated in September 18.
Iintroduced by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, the bill makes the manufacturing, production, import, export, distribution, transport, sale, storage or advertisements of such alternative smoking devices a cognizable offence, attracting a jail term and a fine.
First-time violators will face a jail term of up to one year and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. For subsequent offences, a jail term of up tothree years or a fine of Rs 5 lakh, or both.
The storage of e-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both, it said.
The government had cited health risk to people, especially youth and issued an ordinance to ban such products.
The bill authorised officials to conduct searches in premises, stating that where such searches were not permissible, authorities might attach properties, stocks of e-cigarettes or records maintainedby the manufacturer, producer exporter, transporter, importer, stockist against whom a complaint had been made. It said the owner or occupier of the place that stocks e-cigarettes should voluntarily prepare a list of such stock in his possession and without delay submit the stock to the nearest authorised officer.
However, e-cigarettes promoting trade bodies, users and other stakeholdershave been opposing government's move to ban "alternative" smoking device, alleging it was a "draconian" step taken in haste to protect the conventional cigarette industry.