Telangana police to enforce ordinance on prohibition of e-cigarettes

Hyderabad: Telangana state police department is all geared up to enforce the ordinance on the prohibition of e-cigarettes recently introduced by the Centre. This includes a complete ban on production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of e-cigarettes.

The ordinance was published in the Gazette of India on September 18. It has completely banned e-cigarettes including all forms of electronic nicotine delivery system, heat-not-burn products, hookah and similar devices.

DGP M Mahendar Reddy, in an official release issued on Monday, said that necessary instructions had been issued to all officers in the state to enforce the ordinance. Authorised officers in the police department are designated as enforcement officers. Provisions of the ordinance provide a penalty of imprisonment, fine or even both. Since the ordinance has been issued on September 18, it provides an opportunity to existing stockholders of e-cigarettes to declare stocks.

In view of the matter, the police department requested everyone having stocks of e-cigarettes and e-Hookah to declare and deposit the same at the nearest police station without any delay. “This may be treated as communication to people, companies, firms, and groups to take action immediately so as to avoid prosecution,” said the release.

It further urged all schools, colleges and institutions to create awareness among citizens about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and e-hookah and the provisions of the ordinance.