Experts have spoken out against the Centre’s push against e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), questioning the merits of an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) paper concerning the devices’ effects on health. Writing to the ICMR Director-General, the 62 experts from across twenty countries asserted that the Council’s claims about the detrimental […]
tobacco
E-cigarette industry appeals against potential ban
The e-cigarette industry has appealed against the proposed ban on the devices, calling on regulation instead of outright prohibition. With the Centre in position to initiate a blanket ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) by classifying them under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the Trade Representatives of ENDS in India (TRENDS), an association of […]
E-cigarettes to be banned in Gujarat?
Gujarat is moving to join the Indian states where e-cigarettes and similar devices are prohibited. The state government is preparing to ban electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in an impending Legislative Assembly session due to begin July 2nd. Justifying the move, Minister of Home Law and Justice Pradipsinh Jadeja said “we have observed a disturbing […]
The end of e-cigarettes: Misplaced priorities in the war on tobacco products?
E-cigarettes and e-hookah could become unattainable in India as long-standing efforts by the Centre to ban them amidst the war on tobacco products seem on the cusp of bearing fruit. The Drug and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has cleared the way for the prohibition of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). This has been a pet […]
World No Tobacco Day: The fight continues
Today marked World No Tobacco Day, but it was not only traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes that were in the firing line. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot used World No Tobacco Day to issue a ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), more commonly known as e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’. The devices can no longer be […]
E-cigarette industry still the centre of controversy
The controversy over the e-cigarette industry in India shows no signs of abating as staggering numbers of illegal brands have been revealed to have been sold in the country over the last three years. Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) – popularly known as e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ – have been the subject of much political scrutiny […]
World Hypertension Day: Avoid high blood pressure, know your numbers
Hypertension is a silent disease. It affects millions of Indians and responsible for 10.8 percent of deaths in the nation. This year, World Hypertension Day is being observed with the theme “Know Your Numbers”, highlighting the importance of screening for high blood pressure and ensuring it is kept under control. The occasion is observed annually […]
Delhi extends ban on forms of tobacco
The Delhi government has extended its ban on several forms of tobacco for a year. Cigarettes are still available, but popular alternatives such as gutkha, pan masala, and kharra cannot be manufactured, stored, or sold in the national capital. A notification issued by the Food Safety Commissioner for the National Capital Region said the prohibition […]
Quitting smoking is good for women’s bladders too
Quitting smoking is not only good for women’s lung health. Research suggests it also reduces their risk of developing bladder cancer. Researchers in the United States have found that quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing bladder cancer by 25 percent in the first ten years, with the risk continuing to decline thereafter. The study […]
The threat of lung cancer – and the diagnostic treatment which offers hope
Lung cancer has emerged as a dominant public health threat in India, experts warn. One procedure offers a diagnostic hope in the fight against the disease. Every year, two million Indians are affected by the disease, which accounts for 7.5 percent of the overall cancer burden in the country and ten percent of cancer-related deaths. […]