E-cigarettes equally harmful: Health experts

Amritsar, May 11

The use of e-cigarettes is equally harmful as these cause numerous diseases, affecting mostly the lungs. This was stated by health experts here on Wednesday. They said the manufacturing, sale and consumption of the product was banned in the country.

Dr Jivanjot Kaur, Nodal Officer of National Tobacco Control Program-cum-District Dental Health Officer, said some people were under the impression that e-cigarettes were comparatively safe as compared to other cigarettes, which was not true.

“These e-cigarettes produce nicotine, which is highly addictive and other harmful chemicals which are bad for health,” she said, adding that the purpose of putting a ban on e-cigarettes was to protect youth, especially most vulnerable sections.

Dr Jivanjot said the district Health Department was continuously working to check the sale and use of tobacco products and frequent inspections were conducted at cigarette vends to ensure that all guidelines of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) were followed.

The district Health Department conducted surprise checks at 27 cigarette vends in different areas of the city on Wednesday and discovered that vendors were flouting one or other provisions of the COTPA.

District MEIO Amardeep Singh, who led the team, said challans were issued to violators and they were warned against flouting the norms in future. Shopkeepers were also warned against selling products, which were not as per the specifications of the government. “The sale of any tobacco products to minors or selling tobacco products within 100 yards from the periphery of an educational institute is punishable with fine and imprisonment,” he added.