Home ministry's advisory enabling search sans warrant is 'draconian':E-cigarette traders body

An umbrella body of traders promoting electronic cigarettes has termed as "draconian" the Union Home Ministry's advisory to all states and UTs to implement the ban on e-cigarettes that allows officials to conduct searches on premises for the product without a warrant.

The Home ministry had last week wrote to the chief secretaries and the director general of police of all states and Union territories asking them to ensure enforcement of the ban on e-cigarettes and other provisions of the ordinance which was issued in September.

It asked them to implement the provisions of the ordinance "considering the deleterious impact of e-cigarettes on public health, especially in respect of the young population going to schools and colleges".

The health ministry intends to introduce the Bill that will replace the ordinance banning e-cigarettes in the ongoing session of Parliament.

Trade Representatives of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (TRENDS) which has been strongly challenging the health ..