Haryana Police launches month-long drive against e-cigarettes

The Haryana Police on Sunday launched a month-long special drive to keep a check on the availability and usage of e-cigarettes and all other forms of electronic nicotine delivery systems across the state, DGP Manoj Yadava said.

He said that all Commissioners of Police and District Superintendents of Police have been directed to ensure enforcement of provisions of the Centre's recent ordinance prohibiting e-cigarettes in their respective jurisdictions.

The drive will last up to December 10, the Director General of Police said in a statement issued here.

In September, the Centre had issued an ordinance to ban e-cigarettes, making the production, import, export, transport, sale or advertisements of such "alternative" smoking devices a cognizable offence attracting jail terms and fines.

"During the drive, which would last up to December 10, police will take necessary measures for proper implementation of the provisions of the Ordinance. Extra vigil will be ensured to prevent the use of such banned products in schools, colleges and other educational institutions," the officer said.

Public awareness drives will also be carried out in the districts and those who violate rules will be punished, he said.

Yadava said that officers of the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police or above are authorized to conduct searches and seizures and take up investigations in this regard.

The Central government had in September prohibited e-cigarettes through promulgation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertisement) Ordinance, 2019.