<span style="color: #222222;">The Lok Sabha today passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019.<br />'' <br />'' The Bill seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes.<br />'' <br />'' It defines electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as electronic devices that heat a substance, which may contain nicotine and other chemicals, to create vapour for inhalation.<br />'' <br />'' Any person who contravenes this provision will be punishable with imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of up to one lakh rupees, or both.<br />'' <br />'' For any subsequent offence, the person will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to three years, along with a fine of up to five lakh rupees.<br />'' <br />'' Under the Bill, 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, he will be imprisoned for up to six months, or slapped with a fine of up to fifty thousand rupees, or both.<br />'' <br />'' If an authorised officer believes that any provision of the Bill has been contravened, he can search any place where trade, production, storage or advertising of e-cigarettes is being undertaken.<br />'' <br />'' In his reply, Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said banning e-cigarettes was a pre-emptive strike. He said India's large youth population would have been targeted by e-cigarette companies. He said it is difficult to ban a product once it gains a large consumer base and social acceptance.<br />'' <br />'' He pointed out that e-cigarettes do not have a large consumer base in the country, therefore, the ban will be highly effective. The Minister also said the lack of a ban on tobacco cannot be the justification for not banning a new kind of addiction.<br />'' <br />'' The Minister said the government has been continuously working in the fight against tobacco and creating awareness about its ills. He said the Ministry is working towards making all institutions tobacco-free.<br />'' <br />''<br />''Dr Harsh Vardhan said the government has many ambitious goals, including ending Tuberculosis by 2025.</span>