Ban on e-cigarettes | 29 Aug 2018

The Union Health Ministry has instructed all the States to put a ban on sale of e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) under their jurisdiction.

• Since health is a state subject, the Union ministry issued this instruction as an advisory.
• The move comes after the Delhi HC recently took strong exception to the Centre for delay in coming up with regulatory measures to tackle emerging threat of e-cigarettes in India.
• Following the advisory Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) including e-Cigarettes, Heat-Not-Burn devices, Vape, e-Shisha, e-Nicotine Flavoured Hookah, and the like devices that enable nicotine delivery (including online sale), manufacturing, distribution, trading , import and advertisement will be banned.
• Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Mizoram, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have already prohibited the use of e-cigarettes,Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).
• Thirty countries including Australia, Singapore and Sri Lanka have already brought in such bans.

What are e-Cigarettes ?

• E-cigarettes are battery powered devices that work by heating a liquid into an aerosol that the user inhales and exhales.
• The e-cigarette liquid typically contains nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, flavorings, and other chemicals.

Concerns

• These products are not registered as nicotine replacement therapy products in India.
• E-cigarettes usually contain nicotine which makes product addictive.
• E-cigarettes cause health hazards for youth, young adults, and pregnant women.
• A number of metals, including lead, chromium, and nickel, and chemicals like formaldehyde have been found in aerosols of some ENDS, with concentrations equal to or greater than traditional cigarettes, work as ‘tumor promoters’.
• Traditional cigarette manufacturing companies are having parallel e-cigarette like device making industries. This growing hub in India is under-regulated.
• Lack of knowledge about negative effects of nicotine and easy accessibility of these products make the youth prone to addiction.