India’s vast youth population faces a rising nicotine addiction threat. Despite Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA)  2019, weak enforcement, industry deception, and new e-cigarette variants demand urgent public-health action. 

The E-Cigarette Epidemic: A Multi-Dimensional Threat to Health, Youth, and Environment

• Youth Vulnerability: Adolescents are twice as likely as adults to use e-cigarettes, risking respiratory illness and cardiovascular disease.
• Engineered Addiction: Nicotine salts, high-nicotine disposables, and flavoured variants intensify dependency and act as a gateway to other substances.
• Industry Manipulation: Only 10 of 49 trials were independent; companies target youth via festivals, sports, and social media, despite public claims of focusing on adults.
• Health Crisis: E-cigarettes increase heart attack risk by 56%, stroke by 30%, accelerate atherosclerosis, and exacerbate diabetes and hypertension.
  • Breakthrough research in the Journal of Cancer Biology confirms that e-cigarettes cause DNA damage, impair repair mechanisms, and promote cancer development.
• Environmental Risks: Millions of discarded devices generate e-waste, toxic chemical contamination, and fire/explosion hazards.
• Regulatory Loopholes: Despite PECA 2019, products are still available online and offline, undermining youth protection.
• Global Influence: Industry pressures India by citing permissive laws abroad, even as countries tighten regulations due to youth vaping epidemics.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Enforcement: Expand PECA coverage to include synthetic nicotine devices; regulate online/offline sales.
• Dedicated Units: Set up specialised enforcement teams with funding and technical capacity.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: Educate youth and parents to counter misleading marketing.
• International Collaboration: Regulate cross-border Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) supply chains via diplomatic engagement.
• Health & Environmental Protection: Focus on youth health, e-waste reduction, and safe disposal mechanisms.

Conclusion

Protecting over 600 million youth under 25 is a moral and strategic imperative. Strict PECA enforcement, public-health awareness, and international cooperation can prevent a nicotine epidemic and secure a Viksit Bharat.

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