Question : e-Cigarettes

(a) whether India has never formally defined its stance on e-cigarettes and if so, the facts in this regard;
(b) whether India is importing e-cigarettes or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) and if so, the names of the countries from where these are imported along with its trade marketing value, country-wise;
(c) the names of the major importers of e-cigarettes or ENDS and the total volume of imports of e-cigarettes and ENDS in the country during 2016-17 and 2017-18;
(d) whether countries all over the world are clamping down on the use of vapourisers and e-cigarettes, with many choosing to ban the devices altogether and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether the Government is considering ban on import of e-cigarettes or ENDS and if so, details thereof along with the time by which the final decision is likely to be taken in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

a) to e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 280 FOR ANSWER ON 06th AUGUST, 2018
REGARDING “E-CIGARETTES”.

(a) : A Roundtable discussion was conducted on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) on 4th July 2014, wherein eminent doctors, specialists, scientists and officers of health and drug department concluded that available scientific evidences indicate that the ENDS and similar technologies that encourage tobacco use, are hazardous for an active as well as passive user and have an adverse impact on public health.

(b) : E-cigarette or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) has not been separately classified under Import Policy. On the basis of item description reported of imported items in the import database, country-wise import of “E-Cigarettes, its Accessories and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems(ENDS)”, for the last two financial years (2016-17 to 2017-18) is Annexed.

(c) : In order to maintain commercial confidentiality Importer/Exporter-wise trade data is not disseminated.

(d): As per “WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015”, 25 Countries have legislation banning the sale of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS)/ Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery System (ENNDS).

(e): There is no proposal, at this stage, to impose ban on import of e-cigarettes or ENDS.

Annex

Import of E-Cigarettes (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems(ENDS) during last two years


HS Code

Country of import 2016-17 2017-18
Qty reported (Pcs/Sets) Value in $ Qty reported
(Pcs/Sets) Value in $
85437099 CHINA P RP 9380 21199.85 19543 35618.18
85437099 U S A 253 2744.25 42 1352.37
85437099 HONG KONG 10 126.11 - -
85437099 GERMANY 118 1728.98 - -
Total 9761 25799.19 19585 36970.55
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