Delhi High Court slams govt inaction on curbing e-cigarettes

Source: hindustantimes.com

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought to know from the Delhi government about the steps taken to regulate the sale and consumption of e-cigarettes in the national capital while coming down heavily on the government for their “inaction”.

Terming it to be “e-burning issue”, a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the Delhi government to look urgently look into the matter as ‘children of the city have also started to use these products’.

“Are you doing something? Look the damage it is causing to our children. Is anyone looking at this matter… See the urgency. Look at the content of nicotine in them… It is an e-burning issue,” the bench remarked.

The court was hearing a plea by Seema Sehgal, a homemaker, who had sought to regulate the sale and consumption of e-cigarettes. She had sought directions to the government to formulate a policy and guidelines for advertisements and regulation of sale, production and supply of e-cigarettes. On Thursday, she informed the court that school children have also started using the Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) products.

“Using electronic nicotine, without any health advisory is more harmful and that is my concern,” the petitioner argued adding that the content of the nicotine is around 30 compared to the normal cigarette’s 0.5-1.

Following such submissions, the court sought to know from the Centre and the Delhi government counsel about the steps taken.

The Centre informed the court that they have already issued an advisory and it is for the state governments to take a call. Appearing for the Delhi government, its additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose told the court that the government was in the process of banning it and he will convey the court’s concern to the authorities.