GS 2 : Governance – Health & Education

Why in News?

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recommended a complete ban on e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), based on currently available scientific evidence.
• Last year, the Centre had issued an advisory recommending a ban on the sale of e-cigarettes in India.

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS):

• ENDS of which electronic cigarettes are the most common prototype, are devices that do not burn or use tobacco leaves but instead vaporize a solution the user then inhales.
• The main constituents of the solution, in addition to nicotine when nicotine is present, are propylene glycol, with or without glycerol and flavoring agents.
• ENDS solutions and emissions contain other chemicals, some of them considered to be toxicants.

Why such ban?

• Use of ENDS or e-cigarettes has documented adverse effects on humans, which include DNA damage; carcinogenic, cellular, molecular and immunological toxicity; respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological disorders; and adverse impact on fetal development and pregnancy.
• ICMR noted that e-cigarettes and other such devices contained not only nicotine solution, which was highly addictive, but also harmful ingredients such as flavoring agents and vaporizers.

ENDS cannot help quit smoking:

• The ICMR paper has rejected the argument that e-cigarettes could help smokers quit tobacco consumption.
• While such benefits have not been firmly established, there is also evidence that there is risk of people continuing to use both them as well as tobacco products.
• In addition, these devices could encourage non-smokers to get addicted to tobacco.
• Various flavors and attractive designs are adding to the allure of the devices, and there was an increasing trend of using e-cigarettes among youth and adolescents in many countries.
• They increase the likelihood to experiment with regular products and increase the intention to indulge in cigarette smoking.