A Brief History of the Vape Ban in India (September 2019)
During the early 2010s, vaping exploded in popularity in India. E-cigarettes and vaping devices became an essential part of daily life for many Indian people, growing particularly popular with young people. Health officials in the country became concerned about vaping use amongst young people, and advocacy groups worked to raise awareness about the potential health risks associated with vaping, which were often wildly exaggerated due to limited long-term research available at the time.
As a result, in September 2019, the Indian Government passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (PEC) Act, which introduced a full ban on the production, import, sale, distribution, and storage of e-cigarettes. The purpose of the ban when it was introduced was to protect public health, prevent young vapers from having access to the devices they were using in increasing numbers, and overall ensure that the risk of the potential dangers of vaping was minimised in the general population.
Public Health Concerns Addressed by the Ban
We’ve already mentioned rather generally that one of the main reasons the Indian Government chose to prohibit vaping was because of the potential health risks associated with vaping. It’s worth noting however, that since the ban over 5 million Indians have died from smoking related illness. There have been well-publicised health concerns surrounding vaping. According to the American Lung Association, “e-cigarettes produce a number of dangerous chemicals including acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. These aldehydes can cause lung disease, as well as cardiovascular (heart) disease.” The surprising element of quotes such as these is that no context or comparison with smoking impact seems to be offered, especially given India has 120 million active adult smokers, half of whom are statistically likely to die as a result of their habit.
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It has also been reported that vaping can also result in lung injury. Vaping-related lipoid pneumonia is the result of inhaling oily substances found in e-liquid, which sparks an inflammatory response in the lungs, but it is a relatively rare condition. However, on closer inspection, it would appear that illnesses such as these happen nearly always as a result of mixing THC cannabis with your vape.
Supported by the World Health Organisation, Indian authorities were also concerned about the addictive nature of nicotine, even in its non-combustible form found in vapes, and the potential for young people to increasingly choose vaping and become addicted.
However, to give this piece balance, it is also important to note that according to the UK National Health Service (NHS), vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking cigarettes (at least 95% less harmful they say). And many people choose to turn to vaping as a useful tool to help them quit smoking and ultimately to curb their nicotine addiction.
The Black Market for Vapes in India
Despite the vaping ban in India, vaping is still popular in the country. This is because there is a robust black market for vapes in India.
Although the ban is widely acknowledged and has been in place for almost five years now, it is very difficult to enforce. This is because of online sales with vapes often sold on online marketplaces in the country, as well as smuggling which sees vapes being smuggled into the country through illegal channels. Similar results of bans have been seen in the US where the majority of flavored vapes are banned, but it remains alarmingly easy to obtain them through informal means such as friends, behind the counter convenience store sales and the like.
There is also the concern posed by counterfeit vapes in the country. These are common, but they are likely to be of even lower quality and pose a greater health risk to those who use them.
Alternative Solutions for Smoking Cessation
If you’re a smoker in India and you want to stop then unfortunately you can’t turn to vaping, which is a very common and successful smoking cessation tool in other countries.
However, there are alternative solutions for smoking cessation in the country. These include Government-backed nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) such as patches or gum, but not pouches, which are illegal. There are also counselling and support programs offered by healthcare providers or NGOs in India.
If neither of these options work for you then you can see your primary physician who may discuss medications prescribed by doctors to help with smoking cessation.
These alternatives are seen as a safer way to quit smoking and reduce the risks associated with tobacco use. Things may change with time, but for now, India is vape-free as per the law, but it remains to be seen if this is a sound health policy.
