onsidering the legal opinion over the issue, the ministry has reportedly learnt that if the government bring an ordinance, it will have to replace it with a Bill in the next session of Parliament. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Key Highlights They want to implement a stringent ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution and import of ENDS devices It includes e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, vape and e-nicotine flavoured hookah among others states including Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu have already banned ENDS devices

New Delhi: Days after the government planned to ban the sale of loose cigarettes, the centre is now mulling various options including bringing an ordinance to enforce a ban on manufacture, sale and import of ENDS devices. It includes e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, vape and e-nicotine flavoured hookah among others.

Banning such alternative smoking devices is one of the top priorities for the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and also it is a significant part of the Narendra Modi led-BJP government's 100-day agenda. Reportedly, with more than 75 days have passed, the ministry has now swung into action. They want to implement a stringent ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution and import of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) devices as this poses a serious threat on public health.

News agency PTI reported that the ministry is exploring various options including bringing an ordinance to enforce the ban on ENDS devices. Considering the legal opinion over the issue, the ministry has reportedly learnt that if the government bring an ordinance, it will have to replace it with a Bill in the next session of Parliament.

Meanwhile, once the Parliament approves the Bill, the proposed ban on such products will get a legal backing and it will become a law where the sale, purchase, manufacture, export and import of these devices will be banned. PTI report mentioned that the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) has also written to all state drug controllers claiming that they should not allow the sale, online sale, manufacture, distribution, trade, import or advertisement of ENDS.

In March this year, a bench of the Delhi High Court had granted an interim stay on the Centre's circular banning sale and manufacture of ENDS. HC stated that the products were not a "drug" and the authorities did not have the jurisdiction to issue such a direction over the ENDS.

The court also directed that the government should approach the single judge bench with its plea. However, now the Centre recently filed a counter-affidavit and an application for vacation of order before a single-judge bench of the High Court which is scheduled to hear the case on August 22, PTI reported.

Although, states including Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Mizoram have already banned use and sale of e-cigarettes, vape and e-hookah.