If you are planning on visiting Delhi, India soon, you might want to check out the legality of vaping before you go. The Directorate General of Health Services has indicated it intends to ban vaping and associated products. The move is said to have been based on e-liquids contravening the Drugs and Cosmetics Act in India, since they contain nicotine.
This is a surprising move, especially since more evidence is coming in that confirms vaping and vaping products are a safer alternative to smoking. It has been proven time and again that more people quit smoking by switching to vaping than by going it alone. It is uncertain why the DGHS has adopted this stance. However, they state that the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act of 2003 doesn’t cover e-liquids containing nicotine.
The possible ban has not yet come into force. However, the argument will be given its day in court on 21st August 2018. We shall be waiting to see the outcome of that hearing – as, no doubt, will many other Indian consumers who indulge in vaping.
Not all countries are as forward-thinking as others when it comes to vaping. Some have been open and supportive towards vaping as a safer alternative to smoking (the UK being a prime example). Others, such as India and even the US, have been quite the opposite. Things are changing in the US, where health bodies now seem unable to continue their stance of being anti-vaping. However, those in India appear to be pushing for a blanket ban that could harm many Indians who wish to use electronic cigarettes to help them quit smoking.
What are your thoughts on the change in stance in Delhi? Do you think the ban will go through? Let us know in the comments.
