The Information & Broadcasting Ministry on Tuesday warned the print media, TV channels, OTT (over-the-top) platforms and digital media against directly or indirectly promoting electronic cigarettes.
“It has been brought to the notice by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that in a recently organised Business Summit in New Delhi by a prominent media house, the forum was apparently used to promote electronic cigarettes,” said the order. Such an act was in violation of Section 4 of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019, which prohibits advertisements that directly or indirectly promote the use of electronic cigarettes, it said.
“The print, electronic and digital media entities are accordingly advised to ensure that the aforementioned statute is not contravened either by way of advertisement or any promotion or other campaigns etc,” said the Ministry.
