MUMBAI: The state has joined nearly a dozen others in the country to ban the electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) that include ecigarettes, vape, e-hookah and heat-not-burn devices, among others. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the decision was taken in the light of growing evidence that ENDS may be as harmful as conventional tobacco products and even act as potential gateways to tobacco addiction in youth.The FDA, which had been toying with the idea of a blanket ban, passed the resolution on March 5. The government resolution, though, was not widely publicised as the election code of conduct was in force.“After a lot of deliberation and considering the volume of evidence that points towards the health hazards of e-cigarettes, we have decided to ban its manufacture, distribution and sale in the state,” FDA commissioner Pallavi Darade said.The FDA is likely to begin a crackdown soon. Those in possession of ENDS products will be charged under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. “Any product containing more than 2mg nicotine should have approval from the Drug Controller General of India. ENDS products don’t have it, so why should we allow it?” she said.Darade said the state took a cue from the union health ministry advisory last August asking states to prohibit the sale and manufacture of ENDS and similar nicotine delivery devices in the larger public interest and to prevent the initiation of ENDS by non-smokers and the youth. Except in cases where its use was approved under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, it said even the online sale of ENDS was curbed. Prior to that, in 2014, the ministry of health had held a national consultation where, after looking at scientific evidence, it was recommended that ENDS were hazardous for active as well as passive users.“E-cigarettes are essentially a new discovery by the tobacco industry,” Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, deputy director, Tata Memorial Centre, said. “They have been trying to rope in non-smokers and potential smokers by selling something as a safer version of cigarette. However, nicotine in its pure form also causes cancer.”While hundreds of ENDS brands are imported, it is only recently that some of the leading Indian tobacco companies have started manufacturing these.A recent study by Salaam Bombay Foundation of 306 youth in the city showed that 80% of e-cigarette users had not used any tobacco product previously, underlining that ENDS was becoming a potential gateway to tobacco use.