GJ-E-CIGARETTES

Gujarat govt to ban e-cigarettes by amending law
    Gandhinagar, Jun 19 (PTI) The Gujarat government will
ban the sale and consumption of e-cigarettes and will bring a
bill in the upcoming session of the state Legislative Assembly
to amend an existing law which regulates the sale of tobacco
products.
    Minister of State, Home, Pradeepsinh Jadeja has said
that addiction of e-cigarettes, which are easily available and
bought online in absence of prohibition on their sale, is
harmful for youths.
    "To ban the e-cigarettes, the Home department will
bring a bill in the upcoming session of the Assembly to amend
the law (the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products--
Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and
Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act) which
regulates the sale and consumption of such items," said
Jadeja.
    The Assembly session would commence on July 2.
    "We have observed a disturbing trend wherein youths
are purchasing the e-cigarettes online, as there is no
specific law which bans their sale or consumption in the
state," the minister said.
    Till now, 12 states in India and 36 countries have
banned the e-cigarettes.
    He said the e-cigarettes contain various hazardous
chemicals, such as Propylene Glycol and lead, which can cause
cancer and lung diseases.
    "This is a dangerous form of addiction which is
becoming popular among youths and even young children. In
India, youths below the age of 18 years are also buying it
online," Jadeja added. PTI PJT PD
NSK NSK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from a PTI feed.)