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Curb free sale of e-cigarettes, nicotine gum and patches, say Tata Memorial doctors

Many smokers who have recently quit the habit control their cravings with the help of alternatives to conventional cigarettes such as nicotine chewing gum, nicotine patches, and e-cigarettes. But as doctors have long known, these replacements are as addictive as cigarettes, and also contain the cancer-causing addictive chemical, nicotine. Now, a group of cancer doctors affiliated with Tata Memorial hospital, Parel, have said that such products should not be sold over the counter- they should be subject to a doctor's prescription.

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Many smokers who have recently quit the habit control their cravings with the help of alternatives to conventional cigarettes such as nicotine chewing gum, nicotine patches, and e-cigarettes. But as doctors have long known, these replacements are as addictive as cigarettes, and also contain the cancer-causing addictive chemical, nicotine. Now, a group of cancer doctors affiliated with Tata Memorial hospital, Parel, have said that such products should not be sold over the counter- they should be subject to a doctor's prescription.

Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, professor, head and neck surgeon at Tata Memorial hospital and one of the authors of the article, said, "(These products) are being aggressively promoted and sold over the counter in India. The products are being manufactured and marketed by the tobacco industry itself."

The article recommends that they not be sold without prescription. "There is an urgent need to prohibit over-the-counter sale of nicotine replacement therapy preparations (including e-cigarettes) and curb the advertisement of these products in India. Along with regulation, the NRT should be done only under the supervision of trained personnel," said Dr Chaturvedi.

The article in its conclusion said that nicotine has widespread biological effects that extend to all parts of the body including heart and arteries, lungs, kidneys and reproductive systems. "Nicotine poses several health hazards of varying severity. It promotes the growth of tumours," said Dr. Chaturvedi.

He further said that research for safer alternatives to nicotine must be undertaken on priority.

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