Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has advised all the States and Union Territories not to sell Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) devices like e-cigarettes, e-shisha, e-hookahs, etc;
(b) if so, the outcome thereof;
(c) whether the Government has ascertained the harmful effects of the ENDS/e-cigarettes; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) & (b): The Government of India prohibited electronic-cigarettes and like devices through ‘The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement) Act, 2019. The Act was notified on 5th December, 2019.The Act extends to whole of India and as such e-cigarettes are banned in all States/UTs.
(c) & (d): The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, the apex body in the field of biomedical research released “White Paper on Electronic Nicotine Delivery System” on 31.05.2019 which recommended complete prohibition on ENDS or e-cigarettes in India in view of the harmful health and public health impact of novel products as e-cigarettes.
In addition, sufficient scientific literature is available ascertaining the harmful effects of the ENDS/e-cigarettes.