Should people be Vaping instead of Smoking cigarettes in India?

Should people be Vaping instead of Smoking cigarettes in India?

[1] There is an ongoing debate among experts and researchers about whether vaping is less harmful to health than smoking cigarettes. While some studies suggest that vaping may be less harmful than cigarettes, others suggest that it is equally or even more harmful.

[2] So should people be vaping instead of smoking cigarettes in India? The answer is quite simply NO.

[3] And that is simply because Vaping is illegal in India.

[4] The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act passed in 2019 banned the use of vapes/e-cigarettes throughout the country.

[5] The Act bans not only the use of e-cigarettes/vapes, but it also bans production, manufacture, import, export,transport,sale,distribution, storage and advertisement of e-cigarettes.

[6] The punishment if you are found in possession of an e-cigarette is imprisonment the upto 1 year, or a fine upto 1 lakh, for a first time offence, which increases to 3 year imprisonment and 5 lakhs fine for repeat offences.

[7] The reasoning for the ban is that vaping has conclusively been found to be harmful to health.

[8] There is no doubt the scientific evidence proves vaping and cigarettes are hazardous to health. Additionally, the long term effects of Vaping are not yet known.

[9] Interestingly, vaping is legal in many countries around the world, and has been recommended by medical professionals in UK as a tool to help quit smoking.

[10] While there is no doubt vaping is a health hazard and should not be promoted, it does raise an important question to our legislature though, as to why smoking tobacco in various other forms (which maybe more hazardous) still remain completely legal.

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