Cabinet decides to ban sale, production of e-cigarettes; ordinance soon

The move is a setback for Juul, the American e-cigarette maker that controlled 75 per cent of the US market at the end of 2018 and had seen online sales rising in India

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday banned all forms of nicotine-based electronic cigarettes in the country, citing potential risks posed to the youth and students. An Ordinance will be issued soon to enforce the prohibition.

The promulgation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019, would ban the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution and advertisement of e-cigarettes, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, adding that it could be passed into law in the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

Any violation will constitute a cognizable offence, punishable with imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to Rs 1 lakh or both