India announces a total ban on e-cigarettes
Date:2018-9-15 12:02:50 Clicks:78 【Font Size:
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Due to the potential massive health risks to public health, the Indian Ministry of Health announced a total ban on e-cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices.
Since 2017, some provinces of Indian have already banned the sale of e-cigarettes. In August 2018, the health ministry of the federal government announced a total ban of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems, including manufacture, distribution, trade, import and advertisements, in the ground that these products pose a great risk to public at large. They are not accepted as the approved nicotine replacement therapy. The ministry also pointed out that these products would cause addiction to nicotine and induce smoking among children and non-smokers.
Apart from India, nearly 30 countries have also banned e-cigarettes including Australia, Brazil, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay, etc. World Health Organization also recommends to adopt regulatory measures to prohibit these products for the sake of public health.
More and more research showed that e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products contain numerous harmful chemicals and carcinogenic substances which pose immense health risks. Research also showed that these products become a gateway to youth smoking.
The Hong Kong Government submitted a legislative proposal in May 2015 to prohibit e-cigarettes. However, in June 2018 a regulatory approach similar to the existing regime on tobacco was proposed for e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products, including heat-not-burn tobacco products. COSH urges the Government to enact a total ban on e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products, including heat-not-burn tobacco products, as soon as possible. Timeline to ban smoking should also be formulated to achieve a smoke-free Hong Kong.