E-cigarettes may be smokeless but have plenty of parties fuming about them. While state-run Food and Drug Administration has declared selling of e-cigarettes illegal in Maharashtra, the national laws on these slender Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) remain hazy. Moreover, they are freely available for sale online. Maharashtra is the second state after Punjab to crackdown on e-cigarettes.

Last year, the central government appointed an expert committee consisting of doctors, scientists and activists to analyse the effects of e-cigarettes on the human body. dna has exclusive access to the findings of the committee, which vehemently opposes the use of e-cigarettes.What does the committee do?

The committee headed by additional secretary (health) in New Delhi CK Mishra discusses the current evidence to study its effects on public health and decide measures to control the sale, supply, import, manufacturing and trade of ENDS under the existing legislative framework.

What are its findings?

It has taken a common view of banning e-cigarettes at the earliest and has submitted its report to the union health ministry.The report said once children and youths are addicted to it, it will pinch their pockets. They may gradually switch over to other tobacco products. Hence, it may act as a gateway to nicotine addiction.

What do doctors say about e-cigarettes?

“E-cigarettes help to maintain the habit, not quit it. ENDS is much more sinister than smoking cigarettes and we should not allow it in India. The minimal lethal dose of nicotine is 30mg and it is understood that the nicotine which is being contained in these cartridges is much more than that. Also, propylene glycol, which is the main solvent in e-cigarettes is used as an industrial poison,” said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, professor, head and neck cancer surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel.

“ENDS is a Trojan horse, capable of wreaking havoc as an addictive device. It will de-normalise many of the tobacco-control rules,” said Dr Srinath Reddy, director, Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi. “Adverse effect of nicotine on the cardiovascular system and foetal brain impairment are also well documented.”

“Flavouring agents being used in ENDS are just another way of luring young potential clients. Moreover, it is just one marketing tactic by the tobacco industry to introduce a new product while also maintaining the old tobacco products in the market,” said Dr PC Gupta, director, HEALIS Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, Mumbai.

Trivia

Accidentally or on purpose, ingesting orally or intravenously 50-60mg of nicotine in e-cigarette cartridge is akin to a 70kg person being exposed to 30-40mg per cubic meter of smoke, assuming his breathing rate is 50 litres of air per minute, which is equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes at once. (Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, US)