Parliament Winter Session: Lok Sabha passes Bill to ban e-cigarettes

The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019, seeks to replace an ordinance issued on Sept 38

Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill which seeks to ban electronic cigarettes, with Health Minister Harsh Vardhan saying such a measure was necessary to protect the youth from a new intoxication being promoted by companies as a new "fashion".

The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019, seeks to replace an ordinance issued on September 18.

The statutory resolution moved by opposition members to oppose the ordinance were defeated by a voice vote. The House also rejected several amendments moved by opposition members.

Speaking on the bill, Vardhan argued that lack of ban