Petition reached HC challenging ban on carrying e-cigarettes in aircraft

New Delhi: On Monday, the Delhi High Court declined to entertain a petition challenging the prohibition on carrying e-cigarettes aboard planes. The petitioner had sought the annulment of an order issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation Security in March of the previous year, which had imposed a ban on transporting e-cigarettes on aircraft. The petitioner, Sutirtha Dutta, decided to withdraw the plea after Justice Subramaniam Prasad suggested that the plea could be dismissed with significant costs. The court granted Dutta permission to withdraw the petition, allowing him the option to represent his case before the central government.

The petitioner had also contested the clarification issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which imposed a complete ban on e-cigarette devices. Dutta, a public health professional, argued that he is a frequent traveler who uses vaping devices.

The argument presented was that e-cigarettes had been confiscated from passengers at airports due to the prohibition on carrying e-cigarettes onto planes. Dutta claimed to have transitioned from traditional combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes with the belief that they offered a safer alternative. During the hearing, Dutta’s legal representative argued that e-cigarettes were a less harmful substitute and challenged the misconception that they are more harmful than regular cigarettes. Justice Prasad hinted at the possibility of imposing a fine of at least Rs 50,000. Subsequently, the petitioner’s lawyer withdrew the plea.