Health Ministry asks states to report violations of e-cigarette ban on its portal

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

The portal www.violation-reporting.in will help the Union Health Ministry collate information and take swift action on reported violations, an official source told PTI. The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act (PECA) came into force in 2019. There seems to be a lack of awareness about the portal which was launched in May, an official source said, adding anyone can report violations of the PECA and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act-2003 on the website. The communication from the Union Health Ministry to the states was issued on the same day the Centre sent notices to 15 websites selling e-cigarettes, directing them to stop advertisement and sale of the banned products.

Health Ministry notice to 15 websites for selling e-cigarettes; social media sites under scanner

Six more websites are on the radar, officials said, adding the ministry is also closely monitoring the advertisement and sale of e-cigarettes on social media and might issue notices to them soon. «It is informed that the online violations under COTPA-2003 and PECA-2019 may be reported to www.violation-reporting.in,» the ministry said in its letter to states and Union Territories. Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, the chief executive of the Voluntary Health Association of India said e-cigarette and similar products with attractive flavouring have been proven to hook the younger generation to nicotine. «It is worrisome that a banned product is so readily available online. The website launched by the Health Ministry, raising awareness about the banned product as well as elucidating the details of PECA-2019, emboldens the government's strong