Parliament on Monday passed a bill which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in the country.
The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019, was passed in Rajya Sabha with a voice vote. It was passed in Lok Sabha earlier this month.
The government had issued an ordinance to ban e-cigarettes in September this year. The new law would replace the ordinance.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the government has brought in the bill in order to control the problem at the onset before it becomes too big to handle.
"All my life, I have fought against tobacco lobby. You (members) should not have any suspicion about our intentions. We want to nip this problem in the bud," Vardhan said in the Rajya Sabha while replying to various queries of the opposition members.
Once the consumer base of a product becomes big, like in the case of regular tobacco products and alcohol, it is not easy to control the situation, he added.
Vardhan said it was important to being in the ordinance in September this year as big companies were gearing up to launch their products in the country.
"The same tobacco companies are also promoting e-cigarettes..as conventional business is going down, these companies are now promoting new methods like e-cigarettes...," he added
Vardhan appealed to the members pass the bill in the "interest of the country."
BSP member Rajaram said, "Why not ban tobacco (entirely). What is the motive. Either you (government) are under pressure (from lobby) or there is some vested interest."
Echoing similar views, Amar Patnaik (BJD) said, "The reason (for banning e-cigarettes) equally applies to conventional cigarettes also. Every year 1.16 per cent of GDP is spent on tobacco products...why not ban tobacco use in India."
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