India on Wednesday outlawed the sale of all e-cigarettes in a bid to stop an “epidemic” like the one sparking bans in New York and the rest of the US.
The country’s government approved an executive order to ban the production, importation and advertising of e-cigarettes — with offenders facing up to three years in prison for breaking it.
While it did not outlaw the actual use of vaping devices, the legislation would soon make it almost impossible for users to get refills, officials said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the crackdown was to avoid an “epidemic” in the country from young people seeing vaping as a “style statement” like in the US, according to the BBC.
India’s ban came a day after New York prohibited flavored e-cigarette products and a week and the Trump administration said it was considering a nationwide ban amid a vaping crisis. FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless called it an “alarming and concerning trend.”
Wednesday’s ruling was a huge blow to e-cigarette makers as India has 106 million adult smokers, second only in the world to China.
Spokespeople for two of the biggest e-cigarette companies, Juul and Philip Morris, did not comment on India’s ban.
With Post wires