E-cigarette : The Vaping Threat

Vaping is defined as the practice of inhaling and exhaling vapour containing nicotine and flavouring using a specifically designed device.

- Sunil S Chiplunkar

The most common name for the device used for vaping is e-cigarette. The various devices for vaping are collectively called ENDS: electronic nicotine delivery devices. In India, the manufacture, transport, sale, distribution, storage, import, export and advertising of vapes or vaping devices is banned since 2019. Though vaping is considered less harmful than smoking regular beedis and cigarettes (due to apparently fewer toxins); vaping by itself causes bodily harm and is addictive. Nicotine in the vape mist and in tobacco products as well, causes dopamine release in the brain, resulting in a feeling of well-being. This creates cravings and addictive behavior to vaping and other forms of tobacco abuse.

• Outbreak of vaping associated lung injury: EVALI