NEW DELHI: The government’s research wing Indian Council of Medical Research has recommended “complete prohibition” on e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) to protect public health.In a white paper, presented on Friday, the Council said the suggestion is made based on scientific data that shows ENDS contain nicotine which is highly addictive and harmful for health. Use of ENDS also has documented adverse effects including DNA damage, carcinogenesis, cardiovascular and neurological disorders and respiratory problems among others, it said.ENDS are devices that heat a solution to create an aerosol, which also frequently contains flavours, usually dissolved into propylene glycol and glycerin. There are various types of ENDS devices like e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, vape, e-sheesha, e-nicotine flavoured hookah among others.The common type is an e-cigarette that produces an aerosolised mixture of the flavoured liquids and nicotine, which is inhaled by the user.ENDS can also cause molecular and immunological toxicity and poses risk to foetal development and pregnancy, according to ICMR’s white paper.The release of the white paper assumes significance amid raging debate over the harm reduction aspects of ENDS with some organisations claiming that they help in smoking cessation and are less harmful alternatives to traditional cigarettes.However, not buying into such arguments, ICMR said, “The degree to which, if at all, the ENDS or e-cigarettes benefit as tobacco cessation aides is not firmly established, evidence suggests that there is a risk of dual use to some extent and initiation to tobacco addiction to non-smokers. Hence, on the balance these products have a net negative impact on public health.”The council added, use of ENDS can open a gateway for new tobacco addiction which is a potential threat to the country’s tobacco control laws and ongoing tobacco control programmes.