PANJIM: While raising the issue of increasing smoking practices among the youths on the name of safe smoking, NGO named Consumer Voice on Wednesday has urged the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) to initiate a ban on e-cigarettes. Consumer Voice has also requested the State government to develop a mechanism to provide permission through municipal/local authority to the retail shops who are selling tobacco products who are selling tobacco products with a condition not to sell non tobacco products viz. toffee, candy, chips, biscuits, soft drinks etc. in order to ensure that the influence and impact of tobacco products are not within the reach of children. “The regulation by municipal bodies will help curb the mushrooming of these shops. Limiting the sale of tobacco to certain shops will restrict access, especially the children. It will help by reducing number of vendors & retail density (by population or geographic area); Banning sales in specific types of venues (such as general stores, hotels) Limiting sales in specific locations (such as near schools).” said Consumer Voice COO Ashim Sanyal during a presentation at the CCP
He said, “Youngsters are being lured towards e-cigarettes by projecting them to be a ‘healthier’ alternative to traditional cigarettes but this is not true. Though e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco they are still harmful as people still get addicted to nicotine present in e-cigarettes which has harmful consequences in the long term.”
He further informed that Rajasthan as a state and Lucknow as a city are the first in the country which have started doing vendor licensing for tobacco products. Recently Jharkhand introduced the vendor licensing for the whole state.
“Nicotine is well known to have serious systemic side effects in addition to being highly addictive. It adversely affects the heart, reproductive system, lung, kidney etc. Many studies have consistently demonstrated its carcinogenic potential. According to some studies the use of e-cigarettes may cause DNA mutation, cancer, heart disease and asthma.” he added
However, Sanyal also informed that in India e-cigarette is currently banned in 8 states which are Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Punjab, Maharashtra, Bihar, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala.
Meanwhile, National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) President said “We met the health secretary, urban secretary, smart city officials, IGP and SP. The health secretary was very positive, he said that he will study the issue and try to ban e-cigarettes in Goa.”
The move comes in the light of the Delhi High Court pulling up the Centre for delay in coming up with regulatory measures to check the “new emerging threat” of e-cigarettes in the country.
In its advisory to the governments of states and union territories, the Health ministry has directed that the manufacture, sale (including online), distribution, trade, import and advertisements of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) including E cigarettes, Heat-Not-Burn devices, Vape, e-Sheesha, e-Nicotine Flavoured Hookah be stopped.
The ministry also added a caveat saying that exceptions should be made only under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. It further said that such electronic devices that enable nicotine delivery or its use, are a great health risk to the public at large, especially to children, adolescents, pregnant women and women of reproductive age.
“The aerosol in ENDS contains nicotine (the addictive component in tobacco products such as cigarettes) which not only creates dependence but also contribute to cardiovascular diseases. It also said that nicotine may function as a ‘tumor promoter’ as it is involved in the biology of malignant diseases.” The advisory states
The Ministry stated that in 2014, a roundtable discussion on ENDS was held where health experts and officers of the health and drug departments concluded that such devices are hazardous.
According to the Ministry, Punjab, Karnataka, Mizoram, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have already prohibited the manufacture, distribution, import and sale of artificial nicotine products.
