India To Ban E-cigarettes Following A Series Of Deaths Relating To Vaping

As the U.S health inspectors are investigating some death relating to e-cigarettes, India has decided to prohibit vaping. According to Reuters, the country has banned producing, importing, advertising, and selling of e-cigarettes.

Those who offend for the first time could face an Rs. 100,000 fine and a year in prison while people who violate for the second time might have to pay Rs. 500,000 and serve a three-year sentence. The laws do not prohibit using e-cigarettes; however, users will not be able to buy refills.

While traditional cigarettes are not banned in India, they are taxed heavily. The Indian government has been considering a ban on e-cigarettes for years. Back in August, there was a draft for the recent order:

People have been worried that flavored vapes will encourage the young to try out real tobacco. The concern intensified after the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) revealed death by a type of lung illness. There have been seven deaths in total, including the first case so far, forcing regulators to find a way to limit the use of e-cigarettes.

Michigan banned this type of cigarettes in September and became the first U.S state to do so. This week, New York followed suit with its own ban. In Japan, some vaping products are still legal, but it has outlawed selling nicotine e-cigarette juice. Singapore has had a similar ban on e-cigarettes.

This prohibition is expected to be questioned in court and supporters of vaping have said that this order would strip away a safer alternative to real tobacco.

Some research has confirmed that vaping is indeed less dangerous than smoking traditional cigarettes, but they are not sure of all the risks.