E-cigarettes and vaping were in the news recently after BJP MP Anurag Thakur raised the issue of a Trinamul Congress MP allegedly smoking an e-cigarette in Parliament during the just-concluded winter session and lodged a written complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, bans the production, manufacture, import, export, sale, and distribution of vapes, but the law has proved ineffective as Chinese-made vapes are easily available in Indian metros amidst rampant smuggling through seaports and airports.
According to the latest annual report of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), seizure of e-cigarettes has gone up from 11,000 pieces in 2021-22 to a whopping eight lakh units in 2024-25. Smugglers exploit methods, such as online marketplaces, courier networks and hidden shipments, to smuggle e-cigarettes and vaping devices into the country, the DRI revealed.
Experts feel the ban, instead of eliminating vaping, has only driven it underground, thereby affecting the health of those who use these devices, as there are no checks on content or safety. There is also the fear of smuggled vape devices being spiked with opioids, methamphetamine, and ketamine, which might cause substance abuse among youngsters.
Customs issued a secret alert on this issue after a warning by the International Narcotics Control Board. Ironically, the vaping ban was imposed keeping teenagers in mind, but it appears to have backfired, as vapes are easily available even at neighbourhood pan shops.
Vaping is a Western import, and it is perceived to be cooler than conventional smoking. Some health experts concede that vaping is less harmful than using traditional tobacco products but point out that vapes also contain nicotine and can be addictive, leading to lung and heart diseases.
Unregulated vaping among teenagers especially can be dangerous and have a severe impact on their mental health and wellbeing. In many countries, vaping is seen as less dangerous than smoking and is viewed as a quitting tool, but it is well regulated to ensure that adolescents are not affected.
In India, the least harmful tobacco product is banned, while bidis, cigarettes, gutka, zarda, etc., are freely available. The fact that the government earns thousands of crores through tobacco taxes is a key factor, according to experts.
Despite the vaping ban, hundreds of websites and social media pages are openly selling vaping products of different colours and flavours online. India’s e-cigarette market is now valued at approximately $2.2 billion and is only expanding.
The ban appears to be on paper only, as implementation is tardy and ineffective. A public campaign on vaping and its impact on the young is the only way forward, as the authorities seem to be turning a blind eye to this crucial issue in a country with an estimated 10 crore cigarette smokers.
