Despite ban, e-cigarettes readily available in India

Doctors concerned over rising popularity of vaping among Indian youth

On December 13, 2024, the Indian government announced in Parliament that between April and November, authorities had seized e-cigarettes worth approximately INR 42 million. This came a year after a 2023 study by Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), found 83 e-stores illegally selling e-cigarettes. Despite a ban, Indian youth seem to find their supplies of vapes rather easily

The persistent availability of e-cigarettes underscores the challenges of enforcement. Despite periodic crackdowns, illicit sales continue both online and offline, exposing gaps in regulatory oversight and raising concerns about the effectiveness of India’s ban.

These findings highlight ongoing violations despite India’s strict ban on e-cigarettes, imposed through an ordinance on September 18, 2019. The prohibition covers the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertisement of e-cigarettes, in line with recommendations by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The ICMR’s White Paper on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, which was May 31^st 2019 emphasised that e-cigarettes were highly addictive and posed severe risks to the respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological systems, similar to conventional smoking, while also endangering infant and child development.

However, despite these regulations, e-cigarettes commonly known as vapes, continue to be sold across India, often through social media and retail websites, misleading consumers into nicotine addiction. According to the PHFI study, 66.6 pc of respondents became aware of e-cigarettes via social media, with Instagram being the most popular platform for exposure.

This indicates that the sale of e-cigarettes has moved underground, with reports suggesting that they are being purchased from tobacco shops, general stores and online platforms.

Further highlighting the scale of the illicit trade, a major operation towards the end of 2024 saw the Customs (Prevention) team, along with integrated check post (ICP) officials, seize foreign-made electronic cigarettes from Raxaul railway station, close to Indo-Nepalese border in Bihar. The estimated value of the seized e-cigarettes stands at INR 27.5 million.

This seizure underscores the existence of a significant market for e-cigarettes in India, pointing to their continued large-scale consumption despite the nationwide ban.

Why young people are increasingly opting for E-cigarettes?

But doctors continue to warn about the serious health risks associated with e-cigarettes, including increased lung infections, lung damage, asthma, heart attacks, changes in heart rhythm and addiction.

Additionally, experts have raised alarms over a potential link between e-cigarettes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emphasising their highly addictive nature, which can lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms.

Despite these concerns, e-cigarette consumption remains widespread. A 2023 study by the George Institute for Global Health, a Delhi based global research institute , found that nearly 61 pc of Indians aged 15-30 who had never used e-cigarettes were vulnerable to trying them in the future. Based on the survey of 4,007 people internationally, including 456 from India, it revealed that 51 pc of Indian respondents were curious about e-cigarettes, 49 pc would use them if offered by a friend, and 44 pc intended to try them within the next year.

These findings indicate that despite health warnings and legal restrictions, e-cigarettes continue to attract significant interest, particularly among young people.

According to Dr Prateek Wadhokar, a Pune-based cardiologist, the widespread appeal of e-cigarettes can be attributed to the availability of attractive flavours, the persistence of an illegal market, and a lack of awareness about the ban. These factors have played a significant role in fueling interest and continued usage despite regulatory restrictions.

“The appeal of e-cigarettes lies in their attractive flavours, the lack of a strong cigarette smell, the presence of a thriving illegal market, additionally, many people are simply unaware that they are banned,” Wadhokar tells Media India Group.

According to Dr Manoj Mishra, a consultant physician at Jhansi’s Nirmal Hospital, peer pressure the misconception that e-cigarettes have no harmful effects and addiction remain key factors driving their preference, especially among the youth.

“The popularity of e-cigarettes is driven by a mix of factors, people use them to show off, peer influence plays a big role in friendships, there’s a widespread misconception that they have no harmful effects, and ultimately, addiction keeps users hooked,” Mishra tells Media India Group.

Poorly enforced ban leads to widespread availability

Despite the nationwide ban, e-cigarettes continue to be accessible through various underground channels, making them easier to obtain than ever, indicating that the ban is poorly enforced, if at all. While the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences, as of 2016-17, it reported a low proportion of e-cigarette users in India (1.22 pc),  but awareness about them remains high among the adult population.

A report by the National Library of Medicine identified 83 e-stores illegally delivering e-cigarettes in India. Of these, 61.4 pc were discovered through Google searches, followed by social media. Notably, nearly half of the Indian e-stores emerged after the 2019 ban, indicating a persistent and evolving black market.

According to an anonymous user, the easy accessibility and appeal of e-cigarettes significantly lower the barriers to entry, with many small vendors discreetly selling them despite the ban.

“E-cigarettes are easy to access despite the ban. Local vendors, including small paan shops, discreetly stock them and in social circles where vaping is common, getting devices and refills is effortless. The variety of flavours and smooth taste make it appealing, especially for first-time users. E-cigarette brands are still widely available in India,” a user in Delhi tells Media India Group.

The persistence of illegal sales, as evidenced by recent seizures, suggests that current measures may not be sufficient. Despite widespread usage, the police action is rare and insufficient. For instance, in Gujarat, authorities seized 379 e-cigarettes in seven cases between April and December 2024, which could be a fraction of the total sales.

The adaptability of sellers, who have swiftly shifted to social media and discreet retail outlets, continues to fuel the underground market. Without proper enforcement and stricter monitoring of online platforms, and greater public awareness, the illicit trade of e-cigarettes is likely to only grow further, undermining the very purpose of the ban.