E-cigarettes banned nationwide: Twitterati calls govt's decision a 'good move, but not good enough'

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam addressed a press conference today in Delhi to announce that the Cabinet has approved the decision to ban e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are battery-operated hand-held devices that resemble cigarettes but don’t burn tobacco. They contain an aerosol solution which contains nicotine extracted from tobacco used in conventional cigarettes. A heating coil in the e-cigarette turns this liquid into vapour, which is then inhaled. Following the announcement, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertising related to e-cigarettes are now banned. A draft ordinance that the Health Ministry had proposed, suggests a jail term of up to one year along with a penalty of Rs 1 lakh against first-time violators. This can go up to imprisonment of three years or a fine up to Rs 5 lakhs for subsequent violations, reported NDTV.

Vaping: Smoke Without Fire, Part 1Smoking e-cigarettes or vaping, is catching up in India, igniting a fierce debate over issues of health, ethics and the right to choice. Thirteen states have already banned vapes. The Central government is reportedly mulling an ordinance to ban it across the country. In this three-part series, Firstpost Conversations explores the issue with national and international experts. Posted by Firstpost on Friday, 6 September 2019

Following the decision, Twitter was flooded with reactions of those who support the use of e-cigarettes. Criticising the government’s decision, many Twitter users argued that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking tobacco while the government is of the view that they pose health risks similar to those caused by combustible cigarettes. Check out a few reactions here:

E cigarettes are banned but regular cigarettes are not. Guess why? certainly not bcz of health issues.

A big Indian cigarette making company gives hefty funds to BJP and now as E-cigarettes started affecting its business, the company asked govt to ban it. https://t.co/mUeC8WhAVS

— Kshitij (@kshitijwrites_) September 18, 2019

#ecigarettes banned. Looks like a move to protect the health of tobacco giants more than protecting our health. If you really care that much ban cigarettes in entirety.

— Sangita (@Sanginamby) September 18, 2019

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#ecigarettes are now banned in #India.

Wait
What

Ok now normal cigarettes sale will increase & will lead to increase in tax collection

Smart Move. pic.twitter.com/i7tdYdpgLv

— SleepyOwl (@Nav_tweets) September 18, 2019

You decided to ban the safer alternative. You could regulate #vape so young kids whos' parents can't control their kids couldn't get hand on #ecigarettes but instead u decided to punish the adults to push them back to cig. Congratulations you used Kids to have your blood money,

— Dex Scene (@Dex_A7X_Dex) September 18, 2019

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My Kidney will take better decisions than Nirmala Sitharaman's brain #ecigarettes

— ᴀsɢᴀʀ (@asgarhid) September 18, 2019

Why just ban #ecigarettes?? Ban cigarettes too. Thousands if not more die every year due to smoking #cigarettes.
But yeah... the revenue it brings on the table and hence, just put scary cancer pics on the cigarette boxes...

Good move but not enough. https://t.co/ziDkr7L55s

— Stable Investor (@StableInvestor) September 18, 2019