Lok Sabha Question No. 3119 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-13
Subject: e-Cigarettes
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Hibi Eden

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3119 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH DECEMBER, 2024

## E-CIGARETTES

## 3119. SHRI HIBI EDEN:

## Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to stop/prevent the sale of e-cigarettes in the country despite prohibition on e-cigarettes by the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act of 2014;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and If not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether any comprehensive date of substantive violations of the Act and action taken thereto is available with the Government; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and If not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (d): 'The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement) Act (PECA)', 2019 has been enacted by the Government of India on 5 th December, 2019 to prohibit electronic-cigarettes and like devices and same was communicated to all States/UTs for its implementation.

As per PECA, 2019, sale of e-cigarettes and like devices are banned in the country. Government of India has taken various steps to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes including an intiative of launching ' Online Violation Portal ' for public to report complaint about any violation of PECA, 2019. An Expert Committee has been constituted to review the online complaints for taking appropriate action against the violations. Government of India has also taken initiative to enhance enforcement of PECA 2019 through annual Tobacco free youth campaign launched since 2023. The details of the cases of violations of PECA, 2019 as reported by the States/UTs during the 2023-24 and 202425 is at Annexure .

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue informed that they are keeping a constant vigil and take operational measures, inter alia, based on intelligence, passenger profiling with the aid of Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), risk-based interdiction and targeting and non intrusive inspection like baggage and container scanning for purposes of thwarting smuggling of e-cigarettes through their Custom field formations and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Field formations of CBIC are regularly sensitized to newer methods of smuggling by way of issuing Alert/ Modus Operandi Circulars. On detection of contraband smuggling cases, action is taken in accordance with law, including seizure of smuggled e-cigarettes, arrest and prosecution of the persons involved. During the period April to November 2024 they have seized 4.20 lakhs e-cigarettes.

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| S No   | State/UT                             | 2023-24                 | 2023-24                   | 2023-24               | 2024-25                     | 2024-25                   | 2024-25               |
|--------|--------------------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
| S No   | State/UT                             | of cases [e-violations] | Stocks seized (in number) | Value of stocks (INR) | No. of cases [e-violations] | Stocks seized (in number) | Value of stocks (INR) |
| 1      | ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS          | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 2      | ANDHRA PRADESH                       | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 3      | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                    | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 4      | ASSAM                                | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 3                         | 5037                  |
| 5      | BIHAR                                | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 6      | CHANDIGARH                           | 1                       | 1                         | 3500                  | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 7      | CHHATTISGARH                         | 0                       | 2                         | 2                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 8      | DELHI                                | 1                       | 39                        | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 9      | GOA                                  | 1                       | 1                         | 55000                 | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 10     | GUJARAT                              | 16                      | 129                       | 306650                | 7                           | 379                       | 651100                |
| 11     | HARYANA                              | 65                      | 285                       | 33912                 | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 12     | HIMACHAL PRADESH                     | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 13     | JAMMU & KASHMIR                      | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 14     | JHARKHAND                            | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 15     | KARNATAKA                            | 6                       | 4034                      | 33547000              | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 16     | KERALA                               | 3                       | 1                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 17     | LADAKH                               | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 18     | LAKSHADWEEP                          | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 19     | MADHYA PRADESH                       | 33                      | 191                       | 480800                | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 20     | MAHARASHTRA                          | 130                     | 108                       | 19768621              | 38                          | 38                        | 10493756              |
| 21     | MANIPUR                              | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 22     | MEGHALAYA                            | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 23     | MIZORAM                              | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 24     | NAGALAND                             | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 25     | ODISHA                               | 2                       | 700                       | 13000                 | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 26     | PUDUCHERRY                           | 2                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 27     | PUNJAB                               | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 28     | RAJASTHAN                            | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 29     | SIKKIM                               | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 30     | TAMILNADU                            | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 31     | TELANGANA                            | 6                       | 5                         | 200000                | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 32     | THE DADRAAND NAGAR HAVELI &DAMAN&DIU | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 33     | TRIPURA                              | 0                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 34     | UTTAR PRADESH                        | 2                       | 960                       | 4500000               | 2                           | 2568                      | 10184000              |
| 35     | UTTARAKHAND                          | 0                       | 0                         | 1                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |
| 36     | WESTBENGAL                           | 1                       | 0                         | 0                     | 0                           | 0                         | 0                     |