Over 20 Countries have banned the sale of e-cigarettes. Why can't we?
Countries including Mexico, India and China have now banned the sale of e-cigarette products.
It all started when the US announced their plans to remove flavored e-cigarettes from their stores. This was a measure against an increasing number of addictions among teens and young adults.
According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 3.6 million children use e-cigarettes in the US. Recently, the number of deaths related to vaping illnesses has risen to 13, with illness count rising to 805.
The first death related to vaping occurred just earlier this month.
A few days after the US announced their plans, India approved an executive order to ban vaping products. Offenders can now face up to 3 years of jail time.
WHO congratulates #India 🇮🇳 for banning #ecigarettes. pic.twitter.com/L5kfhmELnO
— WHO South-East Asia (@WHOSEARO) September 18, 2019
“Why are we debating if it’s more harmful or less? It is harmful. It is addictive,” said Preeti Sudan, India’s health secretary. “The entire next generation will be going down the drain if we don’t control it now.”
The Eurpoean Union however, sees vaping as a safer alternative to tobacco smoking. Yet they too have imposed stricter regulations on advertising these products to young children.
Some experts are now describing e-cigarettes as a gateway drug to smoking. This is due to the large amounts of nicotine included in these products that could lead to an addiction. These e-cigarettes also have more than 1,5000 flavors, including fruits and bubble gum. As a result, children who have never smoked before could turn to cigarettes to fulfill their needs.
In the Maldives, the sight of teenagers and adults enjoying a vaping session is increasing at an alarming rate. These products are available both online and retail.
With so many countries taking huge steps to control this dangerous epidemic, we too should take a stand and protect one and another.
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