India bans e-cigarettes citing youth health concerns

India's government has announced an immediate ban on e-cigarettes -- citing youth-focused public health concerns. In a news statement following a cabinet meeting today, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the ban covers production, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertising of e-cigarettes. Sitharaman suggested India's youth are viewing e-cigarettes as a "style statement," implying it's encouraging them to get hooked on nicotine -- whereas she noted that companies behind the vaping trend have pitched their products as a way to ween existing smokers off cigarettes.