Vapers, medical professionals protest nationwide against e-cigarette ban

Hundreds of vapers, advocates of electronic cigarettes and medical professionals held a nationwide protest demanding that the government roll back the ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

The Association of Vapers India (AVI), an organisation that represents e-cigarette users, held protests in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.

The protesters termed the ban "wilful genocide by the government", saying "it will push current vapers back to deadly smoking and deprive the country's 11 crore smokers of safer options".

The government on September 18 banned production, import and sale of

e-cigarettes and similar products, citing health risk to people, especially youth, and an ordinance will be brought in to make it an offence, entailing jail term up to three years as well as fine.

Smoking kills nearly a million people in India every year.

The consumer body organised awareness drives in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata where government authorities and