Special Correspondent (Ahmedabad): e-cigarettes industry appeals Gujarat CM to revoke the ban. Association finds it contradictory that a ban was sought to be put on e-cigarettes but not cigarettes and beedis, which had been proven to be more harmful.
Praveen Rikhy, convenor of Trade Representatives of ENDS in India (TRENDS), stated” We are extremely disheartened to hear that a progressive state like Gujarat has taken a hasty step to attempt to ban the ENDS category, without giving an opportunity to the industry to present facts and the available research,” a representation to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. TRENDS is a voluntary body of importers, distributors, and marketers of the nicotine devices. She added: “We have been denied an opportunity to represent the category and help the government make an informed choice on this matter”.
Rikhyhip to within the illustration, a duplicate of that was additionally submitted to Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, that the association had additionally urged the Union Health Ministry to review its position on the problem in light-weight of the facts and knowledge of the many countries around the world. The association found it contradictory that a ban was sought-after to be placed on e-cigarettes however not cigarettes and beedis, that had been established to be a lot of harmful. “Ban of ENDS can rob voters of Gujarat of a viable substitute to ancient smoking, in terms of impact on human health and setting, an illustration declared.
Rikhy detected that the Gujarat Government’s call was regressive in comparison with the very fact that developed economies were control ENDS and plenty of saw the class as complementary to their tobacco management goals. “Today, all G7 countries and thirty-four out of thirty-six OECD countries have regulated and formalized sale, distribution, selling and manufacture of ENDS,” the illustration declared. Rikhy additional that world studies had established that ENDS was a viable substitute for ancient smoking, in terms of impact on human health and also the setting. “This whimsical ban is absolute to end in the creation of a ‘black market’ for ENDS product, leading to the sale of the spurious and unsafe product to the voters of Gujarat. “The trade body warned that the move to ban e-cigarettes would, within the end of the day, produce a precedent for prohibition alternative tobacco product and have a sledgehammer impact on the tobacco farmers of the state.
“Gujarat is a major producer of nicotine and contributes significantly to India’s nicotine export, which today is the third highest in the world. This industry is poised for growth and is perhaps the only hope for the lakhs of tobacco farmers in Gujarat, whose cultivation is threatened by a growing squeeze on tobacco farming,” the representation pointed out. The TRENDS submitted that “We would request you to objectively consider the benefits and harms related to the product and initiate open consultation, which will help to better inform its decision for the ENDS category.”Such consultation should consider all voices on the issue including industry players, civil society organizations, NGOs, medical experts (both who are in opposition and support), and other relevant organizations with a view to developing an appropriate regulatory framework that must be adhered to by the industry.”
