Experts caution against new-age nicotine devices

Ahead of World No-Tobacco Day on May 31, public health experts, senior government officials and civil society groups have raised serious concerns over the illegal promotion of vapes, e-cigarettes and other new-age nicotine devices targeting adolescents and youth. At a seminar held at the India International Centre on Thursday, the group ‘Mothers Against Vaping’, released a damning investigative report titled “Unmasking the Appeal – How Vapes & E-Cigarettes Continue to be Promoted Unabated in India”. The report exposes how, despite a nationwide ban, the promotion and sale of these devices remain rampant through digital loopholes, influencer marketing and surrogate advertising.

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Dr Avinash Sunthlia, Deputy Additional Director General, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, spoke strongly against industry tactics that lure young people into nicotine addiction. “Despite the ban on these products through the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, producers have found ways to circumvent the laws and promote e-cigarettes and vapes. They also market these devices as safer alternatives for smoking cessation, but it is about recruiting new users for a lifetime of dependence,” he said. Dr Sunthlia detailed the government’s preventive steps, which include issuing school-level guidelines, launching capacity-building programmes for teachers, and initiating an online reporting platform to allow citizens to flag violations.

The report presented by ‘Mothers Against Vaping’ reveals that social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are flooded with content that glamourises vaping, often through popular influencers portraying it as harmless and fashionable. It highlights how young users are being misled through subtle, stylised videos—ranging from smoke tricks to lifestyle Vlogs—that present vaping as aspirational, trendy and even humorous. This form of stealth marketing is particularly dangerous because it circumvents direct advertising bans while still delivering targeted messaging to minors.

Jaspal Singh, Special Commissioner of Police (Protective Security), in his keynote address, said that vaping devices are even being used to consume hard drugs. “Several young users we’ve encountered have admitted to using vapes for hard drug intake,” he stated. Singh warned that the digital promotion of vapes makes enforcement difficult and urged for tighter coordination between customs officials, police, courier services and transporter associations. He also emphasised the importance of mass public awareness, saying, “Public involvement is important, but for that to happen, citizens need to be aware that these devices are banned in India. Therefore, it is critical that the government launch strong awareness campaigns to inform people about the illegality and dangers of these devices.”

The report also lays out a series of recommendations aimed at curbing the menace. These include stronger enforcement of the ban on e-cigarettes, penalties for digital and surrogate advertising, coordinated action across enforcement agencies and public campaigns to raise awareness. The report stresses the need to monitor influencer marketing closely and calls for platforms to take responsibility for content that glamorises banned products.