New Delhi (AFP)
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday congratulated India, which has just announced the ban on electronic cigarettes, the latest illustration of a tendency to question vaping, originally presented as a alternative to tobacco.
In a tweet, the WHO Southeast Asia office noted that India was the sixth country in the region to ban e-cigarettes after North Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and East Timor.
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, a well-known opponent of tobacco, also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "recognizing this epidemic and giving priority to the health of citizens".
On Wednesday, highlighting health imperatives, the Indian government announced the ban on the production, import, export, transportation, storage and sale of electronic cigarettes. A first offense is punishable by one year in prison and / or 100,000 rupees (1,270 euros) fine, up to 3 years and / or 500,000 rupees (6,300 euros) in case of recidivism.
The ban on electronic cigarettes in India came after a ban by the US state of New York to market flavored electronic cigarettes.
Electronic cigarettes, considered "undoubtedly harmful" in a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), consist of inhaling vapors created by the heating at high temperature of a liquid, which contains most of the time nicotine. They have become increasingly popular since their appearance in the mid-2000s.
The sale of other tobacco-related products, however, remains legal in India. Opponents of the ban on electronic cigarettes have accused the government of wanting to protect the Indian cigarette industry. India is also the world's third largest tobacco producer, behind China and Brazil, and its farmers are a key electorate for political parties.
India exported nearly $ 1 billion worth of tobacco to about 100 countries in 2017-2018. The government also has substantial shares, directly or indirectly, in tobacco companies such as ITC, one of the largest tobacco companies in the country.
© 2019 AFP