Page 35 - 29NOV2019E-4

POLICY

transport, sale, storage or advertise- (Production, Manufacture, Import, WHAT IS
ments of such alternative smoking de- Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution,
vices a cognisable offence, attracting a Storage, Advertisement) Bill, 2019, law- E-CIGARETTE?
jail term and a fine. First-time violators makers from the Congress, the Biju Ja-
will face a jail term of up to one year nata Dal (BJD), the Bahujan Samaj Party E-CIGARETTES are the most
and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. For subsequent (BSP), the Trinamool Congress (TMC), common form of Electronic
offences, a jail term of up to three years the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Mus- Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).
or a fine of Rs 5 lakh, or both, will be limeen (AIMIM) and the Rashtriya Lok These are basically devices that
imposed, according to the ordinance. Dal (RLD) targeted the government for do not burn or use tobacco leaves.
The storage of e-cigarettes shall safeguarding the business of private Instead, they vaporise a solution
also be punishable with imprison- Indian Industries, involved in produc- using a battery. This vapour is then
ment of up to six months or a fine of up tion of other tobacco products. inhaled by the user.
to 50,000, or both, it said. The bill au- “The main constituents of the
thorised officials to conduct searches he Janata Dal (United), a BJP al- solution, in addition to nicotine
in premises, stating that where such liance partner, also demanded when nicotine is present, are
searches were not permissible author- T that the government ban other propylene glycol, with or without
ities might attach properties, stocks of tobacco products as well as alcohol glycerol and flavouring agents,”
e-cigarettes or records maintained by along with banning e-cigarettes, which the World Health Organisation
are battery-operated e-devices that says, adding that these solutions
First-time violators heat a substance (natural or artificial) and emissions also contain some
to create vapour for inhalation.
solutions that are considered to be
will face a jail term E-cigarettes may contain nicotine “toxicants”.
In terms of shape and size, most
of up to one year and and flavours, and include all forms e-cigarettes resemble ordinary
of electronic nicotine delivery sys-
a fine of 1 lakh. For tems, heat-not-burn products, and cigarettes, cigars and smoking
subsequent offences, a e-hookahs. pipes, but of late brands have
started experimenting with newer
Stating that only three per cent In-
jail term of up to three dians use e-cigarettes, Adhir Ranjan designs that may resemble whis-
Chowdhury (Congress) said action
tles, pens etc.
years or a fine of Rs 5 should also be taken against producers
lakh, or both, will be of other tobacco products. also be taken to implement rules,” he said.
Saugata Roy (TMC) said the govern-
imposed, according to ment was only taking action against Varun Gandhi (BJP) defended the ordi-
the ordinance the fringe of the problem. There were nance earlier promulgated by the Centre
saying “prevention is always better than
many tobacco products, more danger-
ous for health, he added. cure”. He also dismissed the reports that
the manufacturer, producer exporter, He said the government had suggested e-cigarettes were less harm-
transporter, importer, stockist against brought the Bill, which concerned a ful than conventional cigarettes. Gandhi
whom a complaint had been made. miniscule population and 99.98 per said introduction of e-cigarettes in the
It said the owner or occupier of the cent people had been left out. The Bill US had brought down the average smok-
place that stocks e-cigarettes should didn’’t touch people who smoked ciga- ing age to 17 years from 30 years, which
voluntarily prepare a list of such stock rettes or consumed gutkha or chewing was alarming.
in his possession and without delay tobacco, he added. Mahabali Singh (JD-U) said the gov-
submit the stock to the nearest author- Ritesh Pandey (BSP) asked why the ernment should not only ban e-cigarette
ised officer. government was not taking steps to but also all tobacco products as well as
However, trade bodies promoting ban other tobacco products as well. alcohol like Bihar. On September 18, the
e-cigarettes, users and other stake- “You (Centre) are being biased to cer- Centre promulgated the Prohibition of
holders have been opposing the gov- tain lobbies. This is sad. The govern- Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manu-
ernment’s move to ban the alterna- ment should look towards banning facture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale,
tive smoking device, alleging that it other tobacco products too,” he said. Distribution, Storage, Advertisement)
was a draconian step taken in haste Imtiyaz Jaleel (AIMIM) said his party Ordinance that prohibited manufacture,
to protect the conventional cigarette supported steps to stop consumption trade and advertisement of e-cigarettes
industry. of tobacco products, but noted only in India.
Participating in the debate over the banning products or making laws
Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes were not enough. “Harsh steps should LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

35