E-cigarettes

Why in news?

• The Union government has asked the state governments to effectively implement the Centre’s ban on e-cigarettes.

About e-cigarettes:

• Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems are battery-operated, handheld devices that are alternatives to traditional smoking of cigarette. It emits doses of vaporised nicotine, or non-nicotine solutions, for the user to inhale. Inhaling e-cigarettes is injurious to health with major health risks.

About ban on e-cigarettes:

• In 2019, Parliament passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage, and Advertisement) Act (PECA) to curb the use and sale of e-cigarettes in India.
• Despite this ban, e-cigarettes continue to be sold on e-commerce sites even to children below 18.
• This is happening because of the weak implementation of PECA Act leading to easy availability of e-cigarettes through online, retail, convenient stores, stationery shops and near educational institutions.
• Now to curb this, the Health Ministry has launched an online portal www.violation-reporting.in to facilitate reporting of violations under PECA Act.
• The portal will allow faster action against any reported violations of ban on e-cigarettes.

???????About PECA:

• The Act defines electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as electronic devices that heat a substance, which may contain nicotine and other chemicals, to create vapour for inhalation.
• These e-cigarettes can also contain different flavours and include all forms of electronic nicotine delivery systems, heat-not-burn products, e-hookahs, and other similar devices.
• Banning of e-cigarettes:
• The Act prohibits the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution and advertisement of e-cigarettes in India.
• Storage of e-cigarettes:
  • Under the Act, no person is allowed to use any place for the storage of any stock of e-cigarettes.
  • If any person stores any stock of e-cigarettes, they will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine of up to Rs 50,000 or both.
• Powers of authorized officers:
  • If an authorized officer believes that any provision of the act has been contravened, they can search any place where trade, production, storage or advertising of e-cigarettes is being undertaken.
  • The authorized officer can seize any record or property connected to e-cigarettes found during the search. Further, they may take the person connected with the offence into custody.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements:

1. Unlike regular cigarette, e-cigarettes do not produce smoke but produces an aerosol which is inaccurately referred to as vapour.

2. E-cigarettes are banned in India

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer