Tobacco lobby hits back at govt over e-cigarette stubbing plan

The ban will lead to growth of illicit trade and large scale smuggling of products

The tobacco trade has protested at the central government’s reported idea to ban e-cigarettes, following the suggestion of a committee.

Tobacco Institute of India (TII) represents a little over 90 per cent of the legal cigarette trade. An official from TII said a ban on the legal business of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) would not only jeopardise all the investments made by cigarette companies to develop such products but lead to growth of large-scale smuggling of these products.

The official said e-cigarettes, as ENDS is commonly referred to, are gaining much popularity in the global market as an alternative to the