Health Ministry asks Civil Aviation Ministry to stop advertising E-Cigarettes

New Delhi:  The union health ministry has told the civil aviation ministry and Air India that the display of electronic cigarettes in some of its publications violates the law against tobacco advertising.

In separate letters to the ministry of civil aviation and Air India sent this week, the health ministry said Air India through discount booklets “Air Bazaar”, distributed during flights, is selling “Electronic Cigarette” with a picture of a model smoking.

Most e-cigarettes consist of battery-powered heating elements and replaceable cartridges that contain nicotine or other chemicals and an atomizer.

The atomizer when heated vapourises contents of the cartridge, delivering a nicotine shot that a smoker craves, and without subjecting him to other harmful side-effects of traditional cigarettes such as tar.

The letter highlighted that display of e-cigarettes is in contravention of section 5 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act of 2003 (COTPA) and further tends to put the government in an embarrassing position as the health ministry is the implementing body for the provisions under the law.

Further, the health ministry has asked to take all necessary steps to ensure there is no sale or offer for sale of any product in the airlines, in a manner that promotes the use or consumption of cigarettes or any other tobacco products in violation of the provisions of COTPA.