Government To Ban E-Cigarettes

Remember the time when e-cigarettes were supposed to be a safe alternative to cancer? Apparently, that's not the case anymore. The government will most likely take steps to ban electronic cigarettes as a study done by an expert committee has said that these have cancer causing agents and are also highly addictive. In no way are these cigarettes a safer option. It is the Health Ministry which is going to take this decision after the results of the study showed that these are lethal to the user.

"E-cigarettes are just a mechanism to deliver nicotine in an attractive format. They are being marketed as a harm reduction product which is contrary to the truth. Youngsters are being lured as it is easily available in different flavours, people should not get lured into puffing e-cigs because they too, are harmful," said Bhavna B Mukhopadhyay, chief executive, Voluntary Health Association of India.

An e-cigarette has liquid nicotine, propylene glycol, water, glycerine and flavour to give the user a false sense of smoking. The Health ministry is now examining other such laws like the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Food Safety & Standards (prohibition and restriction on sales) Regulation, to come out with much stronger rules.

"COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) does not have a provision to ban and therefore, we are faced with the challenge of finding a strong provision. We are convinced about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes but if we do not back it up with a strong pro vision under the law them it will fall flat in the courts" said a senior official.

Health secretary C K Mishra said, "We are looking into all aspects of e-cigarettes and working on a methodology to contain the harm from it." The ministry will take a decision soon enough he also stated.

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