Recognising adverse impact of e-cigarettes (electronic nicotine delivery systems-ENDS) and hookah bars, which are a new fad among tobacco users, India has decided to initiate steps to ban both E-cigarettes and Hookahs (water pipes) through appropriate legislation.
India, along with other countries of southeast Asian region vowed to impose a ban at the recent regional workshop for Southeast Asia on implementation of the WHO framework convention on tobacco control (WHO FCTC). Admitting that hookah/water pipe is a health hazard, the countries decided to take appropriate measures to prevent their use by introducing strong legislations and regulations to control the use of smokeless tobacco.
“The decision to ban E-cigarettes was initiated by India. It is an unlicensed product which has made its way in India and many other countries illegally. Not many people know that it has a potential of killing as inhaling nicotine could be dangerous. It is also very harmful for the passive smokers. We have decided to completely ban this menace by bringing strong legislation,” spokesperson of FCTC secretariat told this newspaper. The spokesman said E-cigarettes have taken many young men and women in its clutches.
“It has attracted mostly the young crowd, who think that it is fashion statement and some may use it to stub the habit of smoking,” the spokesperson added.
Countries in the region also strongly discouraged the proliferation of the use of water pipes (hookah) and agreed to take appropriate legislative and regulatory measures to preven the use of water pipes.