Packing batteries with more punch
Indian researchers are working on cells that can store more energy, last longer
A few States have already banned e-cigarettes - iStockphoto
Going tough on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), the Health Ministry has proposed to classify such alternative smoking devices, including e-cigarettes, as “drugs” under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, in a bid to ban their manufacture, sale, distribution and import.
According to official sources, the proposal has been approved by the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).
The move comes amid a raging debate over the harm-reduction aspects of ENDS. Some organisations claim that these devices help in smoking cessation and are less harmful alternatives to traditional cigarettes, while the government contends that they pose health risks to users, similar to those of conventional cigarettes.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has proposed that manufacture, sale and distribution of ENDS, should be prohibited under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, while their import should be outlawed under Section 10A of the legislation.
The proposal stated that under the provisions of ‘drugs’ in the Act, any item intended to be used as an aid to help quit smoking is covered under the definition of drugs.
According to the proposal: “After revisiting its earlier deliberations, the Drugs Consultative Committee has recommended that since ENDS and related products are used as a tobacco cessation product and function for nicotine delivery, these devices fall under the definition of ‘drug’ as defined under Section 3(b) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.”
Asserting that availability of ENDS devices is widespread in the country and poses serious health risks, the proposal mentioned that the safety aspect of these products has not been established, and their efficacy on the Indian population too has not have been approved under the provisions of the drug law.
Some States — including Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Mizoram, Karnataka, and Jammu and Kashmir — have already banned e-cigarettes as an unapproved drug.
While all of them have banned it under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, some have also added the Poisons Act, 1919.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recommended a “complete ban” on ENDS, saying their use can lead to nicotine addiction among non-smokers also.
Indian researchers are working on cells that can store more energy, last longer
To fix a broken bone, doctors often harvest another bone from the patient’s body or from someone else. It ...
Superconductors from IIScScientists at IISc Bangalore have invented a device with a nanocrystal structure ...
Engineering and construction giant L&T has won a licence from the Council of Scientific & Industrial ...
Option price falls more than it rises for the same change in underlying
A long-term vacation here is worth a check-in
The fund delivered a return of 31.5% in 2020 compared with the category’s 15.5%
Care Health Insurance’s new rider offers no great benefit. We review its pros and cons
In these isolated times when people yearn for a slice of the familiar, amateur and professional chefs are ...
While good writing wars against the cliché, television gives it a natural home
India is ready with two vaccines to beat the deadliest virus of recent times. The immunisation drive, however, ...
The storming of the Capitol on January 6 could be the prelude to yet another chapter in the US’s long and ...
Digital is becoming dominant media, but are companies and their ad agencies transforming fast enough to make a ...
Slow Network, promoted by journalist-lyricist Neelesh Misra, pushes rural products and experiences
How marketers can use the traditional exchange of festive wishes meaningfully
For Fortune, a brand celebrating its 20th anniversary, it was a rude shock to become the butt of social media ...
Three years after its inception, compliance with GST procedures remains a headache for exporters, job workers ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of companies are altering the prospects for wooden toys of ...
Aequs Aerospace to create space for large-scale manufacture of toys at Koppal
And it has every reason to smile. Covid-19 has triggered a consumer shift towards branded products as ...
Please Email the Editor