New Delhi, July 3: Looking at the health hazards, the Indian Health Ministry has decided to ban e-cigarettes on the grounds that they are 'drugs'. According to a Live Mint report, a notification on this regard will be issued soon. The proposal to ban the nicotine inhalers is part of the 'first 100- days' agenda in the Modi government. E-Cigarettes May Damage Brain Stem Cells: Study

The Health Ministry is working to ban the manufacture, import, and sale of e-cigarettes in India. It is being illegally sold in India and is being marketed as a product that can help quit smoking. Whereas in reality, e-cigarettes use a heating element to turn a liquid nicotine solution into vapors, which the user end up inhaling.

Reportedly, under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, the government cannot ban these products, but only regulate their sale. So this was a big dilemma for the Indian government. Finally, experts at a drug consultative committee meeting on 1 June concluded that e-cigarettes and other such devices would fall under the purview of “drug", and therefore should be banned under Section 26 (A) of Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Currently, more than 460 e-cigarette brands are available in India, in over 7,700 flavours. According to the latest study, E-cigarettes produce a stress response in neural stem cells, which are critical cells in the brain.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2019 09:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).