Regulate use of e-cigarette, don’t ban it: vapers’ body

Members of the Association of Vapers India (AVI), on Saturday, demanded the withdrawal of the ordinance which bans the consumption, production, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of e-cigarettes.

AVI, an organisation that represents e-cigarette users, held nationwide protests in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.

The supporters gathered at Freedom Park, to oppose the government’s decision to ban e-cigarettes and vaping in the country.

The protesters termed the ban "wilful genocide" by the government as it will push current vapers back to deadly smoking and deprive the country’s 11 crore smokers what they claimed was among the safer options.

Samrat Chowdhery, AVI director and harm reduction advocate, said, “So many people are on the streets raising their voice against the unconstitutional and draconian vape ban. The message is loud and clear from the people that the ban should be withdrawn with immediate effect.

Speaking to DH, Karthik from AVI said that instead of e-cigarettes, there must be a ban on tobacco.

"Smoking kills. We are aware that it leads to the formation of tar in one's lungs. It is not so with e-cigarettes. Even a lot of schoolgoing children smoke. Getting adults who are already addicted to tobacco into vapes will minimise the damage. We are not promoting this for anyone who has not been using tobacco. There is a need to regulate the use of vapes and not ban it."

The ban on e-cigarettes rose from the concern that it contained nicotine which is known to be addictive in nature.