An 'official letter' from the Ministry of Health (2009) bans the sale, advertising, manufacturing, importation and use of e-cigarettes in Jordan. More recently the Jordan Times (3rd December 2018) reported that the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Iftaa Department has issued a fatwa (religious edict) declaring that smoking electronic cigarettes and argileh (water pipe) is just as bad as smoking traditional tobacco products and is therefore prohibited by Sharia law.