Made in China e-cigarettes seized: Mothers Against Vaping commends govt’s efforts, highlights threat of new-age gateway devices

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Mothers Against Vaping, a united front of proactive and concerned mothers, has lauded the government’s efforts to restrict the spread of new-age gateway devices like e-cigarettes and vapes.

Following a recent successful seizure of hundreds of Chinese-made e-cigarettes destined for New Delhi, Mothers Against Vaping emphasised on the critical need for sustained heightened vigilance to counter the threat.

Recently, Noida Police arrested smugglers and seized a significant quantity of Made in China e-cigarettes which were sourced from Nepal. The estimated black-market value of these confiscated e-cigarettes, which are banned in India, was nearly Rs 50 lakh. The illicit consignment was destined for sale in Rohini, Delhi and the surrounding areas. These e-cigarettes were being sold at high prices in bars, restaurants and to a younger customer base in the city. In November 2023, a large consignment of e-cigarettes worth Rs 50 lakh coming from China was seized on the Khutar-Puranpur highway in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, a seizure at Chennai airport in November, 2023, involved the confiscation of 11,700 e-cigarettes worth Rs 3.5 crore coming from China.

“The easy accessibility and glamorisation of these new-age gateway devices are luring our youngsters into the trap of addictive behaviours. The actions taken by the police and the government are praiseworthy in terms of seizures and increased vigilance but at the same time, more needs to be done. While continued seizures are essential, there is an equally crucial need to raise awareness and emphasise the detrimental health effects of vaping. Manufacturers of these devices are specifically targeting our youth, making it imperative to spread awareness that vaping is not cool and extremely harmful. This message needs to permeate popular culture and one effective way to achieve this is by involving youth icons, celebrities and influencers as the faces of an anti-vaping movement,” said Dr. Rajesh Gupta – Additional Director, Pulmonology & Critical Care, Fortis Healthcare, Noida.

According to various news sources, the Australian government as part of its crackdown on vaping that was launched on the January 1, 2024, is enlisting local influencers to create and share anti-vaping and other new age gateway devices content on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. This initiative termed ‘influencer-led youth vaping campaign’, targets individuals aged 14 to 20 and aims to counter the influence of big tobacco-company-backed ‘vapefluencers’.

According to WHO, the region is home to 280 million smokeless tobacco users, constituting nearly 77% of the global smokeless tobacco user population.

“To curb the usage of these harmful new-age devices, efforts should address both the demand and supply sides. Seizures target the supply side, but the government should also explore penalties for the usage of these new-age gateway devices. Implementing penalties under the PECA law for vaping and use of E-Cigarettes can instill fear among users and their parents, contributing to a reduction in the usage of these devices,” said Dr. Bhavna Barmi, Clinical Psychologist and Founder, Happiness Studio.

The Indian government has been proactive in banning e-cigarettes and has taken decisive action by prohibiting e-cigarettes and similar new-age gateway devices through the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarette Act (PECA) 2019.

–IANS

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