Karnataka bans e-cigarettes, mulls banning beedi and cigarettes

Karnataka government on Wednesday banned e-cigarettes in the state with immediate effect. Minister for Health and Family Welfare UT Khader announced the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes.

Speaking with media persons, Khader said the state government banned the sale, distribution, procurement and advertisement of e-cigarettes in the state. "If e-cigarettes are sold through a website, the government will ban such website,'' the minister said.

The minister said the department of health has been receiving complaints against the sale of e-cigarettes. "Explosion of laptops took place at one or two places. So, we have taken this decision since e-cigarettes are not only harmful but also dangerous,'' the minister said. He said the decision to ban e-cigarettes was taken after receiving feedback from youth in the state.

Govt mulls ban on beedi and cigarettes

Minister Khader said the state government wants to ban the sale of beedi and cigarettes in the state. He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already directed Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra to find out whether any legal issues come in the way of ban. "We have already banned tobacco cultivation in the state. Our aim is to ban the sale of beedi and cigarettes in the state,'' he said.

Meanwhile, KA Hidayatulla, Deputy Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, has issued a circular (HFW/126/CGE/2016, dated June 15, 2016) issued a circular banning the sale (including online sale), manufacture, distribution, trade, import and advertisement of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), its parts and components in any shape or size of cartridges containing nicotine in the interest of public.