Association of Vapers India Protest against the ban on e-cigarettes! Stage Protest in 5 states across India!

New Delhi(29/09/2019): Hundreds of vapers, harm reduction advocates, medical professionals and members of the Association of Vapers India (AVI) held peaceful protest to oppose the government’s decision to ban e-cigarettes and vaping cigarette users.

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

Smoking kills nearly a million people in India every year. They said the government’s unilateral decision is based on its vested interest in tobacco industry. government is neglecting public health as well as human rights to shield cigarette commerce as vaping has led to historic declines in smoking rates in countries where it has been allowed, they said. The protesters demanded withdrawal of the ordinance which bans the consumption, production, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of e-cigarettes.

Samrat Chowdhery, AVI director and harm reduction advocate while speaking to Ten News said, “So many people are on the streets raising their voice against the unconstitutional and draconian vape ban. The message is loud and clear from the people that the ban should be withdrawn with immediate effect.”

It is astonishing that the government ignored the stay orders of High Court of Delhi as well as Mumbai, and even imposed bans on research.

“We will continue to voice our protest against the ban and organize more such protests in other cities of the country. If the government turns deaf ears to our demands, we will be forced to challenge it legally,” Samrat added.