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How will FDA crack down on online e-cigarette sellers?

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It has been two years since Akshay Chauhan (34) switched from normal cigarettes to smoking electronic cigarettes. In retrospect, the Malad resident thinks it was a wise decision.

"Having been addicted to tobacco-based cigarettes for over 10 years, I used to smoke up to 20 cigarettes a day. After being afflicted by chronic cough, I got concerned about my health and started searching for a considerably less harmful alternative. That was when I switched to e-cigarettes," says Akshay.

Akshay sources his stock of e-cigarettes from the United States. "Initially, I was apprehensive about using E-cigarettes as I did not know how much harm they could cause. While cigarettes have harmful tar and produce smoke, e-cigarettes only vaporise nicotine. They seem less harmful."

Globally, the e-cigarette industry is worth around $1.5 billion. Brands like the US-based Blu and China-based Joyetech, Kangar and Dekang are major manufacturers of e-cigarettes and sell products internationally through online portals.

Because of their easy availability, experts are skeptical about how the Food and Drug Administration will effectively stop their sale in Maharashtra. "Most e-cigarettes are ordered over the Internet. Cracking down on just shops is not enough. Further, international online portals attract a lot of Indian customers, over which the FDA has no control whatsoever," said Dr PC Gupta, director, Healis Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health in Navi Mumbai.

Regulating the sale of e-cigarettes over the Internet is an uphill task. A Google search on where to buy e-cigarettes throws up several results. At least three Mumbai-based websites openly sell e-cigarettes. Further, mobile numbers of local paan shops that stock e-cigarette brands are also available online.

Tobacco smoking kills 15 lakh people in India every year. E-cigarette manufacturers contend that they are being unfairly targeted when the big fish escape unquestioned. A Mahim-based e-cigarette seller, on condition of anonymity, said, "Tobacco-based smoking is much more harmful. Why are we being targeted when the health ministry is not taking any action against tobacco and cigarette companies?"

Dr Gupta said that nicotine is a prescription-based drug and its use in a fashion that is not standardised is unsafe. "There is no standardisation on dosage and method of delivery of nicotine in e-cigarettes. Manufacturers claim that it is less harmful than tobacco-based cigarettes. But inhaled nicotine is converted into carcinogenic (cancer-causing) nitrosamines, which are harmful for the body," he added.

maitri.porecha@dnaindia.net

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