The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval to bane-cigarettes in India. The production, manufacturing, import/export, transport,sale, distribution, storage and advertising related to e-cigarettes here by stands banned.

The Cabinet proposed imprisonment up to 1 year or a fine upto Rs 1 lakh, or both for the first offence and imprisonment of 3 years or afine up to Rs. 5 lakhs or both, for subsequent offence. Preeti Sudan, Secretary Health and Family Welfare said that e-hookahs have also been included under this ban.

Announcing the key decision, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it was made keeping in mind the impact it is having on theyouth today.

She further said: "In the United States, there are 7 deaths that are directly linked with e-cigarettes."

Sitharaman said data in the US suggests that there is a 78per cent increase in the use of e-cigarettes by high school students in the US.There has been a 900 per cent increase in the use of e-cigarettes in the US,and 300 million US citizens are using e-cigarettes, she added.

Earlier, the Prohibition of E-cigarettes Ordinance, 2019 wasexamined by a Group of Ministers (GoM) following directions from the PrimeMinister's Office.

Banning alternative smoking devices like e-cigarettes,heat-not-burn smoking devices, vape and e-nicotine flavoured hookahs was amongthe key priorities of the first 100 days agenda of the Modi government in itssecond term.