Call for strict action against manufacturers and brands who are the real beneficiaries.
Mumbai: Mothers Against Vaping, a united front of concerned mothers combating the escalating vaping crisis among our youth, on the occasion of Mother’s Day, has urgently appealed to the government to take decisive action against the growing and unchecked digital promotion of tobacco products. While the current laws ban promotion of tobacco products in all forms, the manufacturers allegedly continue to actively promote them on digital media to aggressively target children and the youth and exploit their digital habits to hook a new generation into addiction.
Mothers against Vaping have emphasised that despite the enactment of laws specifically banning new age gateway products like vapes, e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products, they are being freely promoted, easily available, and sold in the market. So, the group has appealed and written to the different ministries of the Government of India – Home Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, Consumer Affairs, Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Information & Broadcasting, to address this grave issue urgently and in a coordinated manner.
Given the urgency and seriousness of the issue, Mothers Against Vaping has issued a set of appeals to the concerned Ministries. Apart from taking down illegal and misleading promotions and acting against individuals and entities who are creating such content in violation of PECA and COTPA, Mothers Against Vaping has also called on the government to take strict action against the real beneficiaries, specifically the manufacturers and the brands, who are allegedly profiting from these products. The group has also asked the government to direct digital platforms to remove content that promotes or glamorises vapes, e-cigarettes, and other heated tobacco products or humourizes traditional tobacco products, ensuring strict compliance with Indian laws.
Mothers Against Vaping has further appealed for the establishment of an inter-ministerial task force comprising representatives from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, MeitY and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to monitor and curb the illegal digital promotion of these products.
The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, unequivocally bans the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertisement of electronic cigarettes. But despite this law, Mothers Against Vaping have observed a disturbing trend that these products continue to be glamorised and promoted to the youth through various digital platforms.
Similarly, the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, specifically Section 5, prohibits both direct and indirect advertisements of tobacco products. Yet, prominent tobacco brands are being subtly promoted through memes, videos, and other engaging content on social media platforms, effectively circumventing the law and targeting the impressionable minds of children.
Dr Bhawna Barmi, Renowned Psychologist, Founder Happiness Studio and Member Mothers Against Vaping, said, “The manufacturers of addictive products know very well that children and the youth, being digital natives, are most effectively targeted through online platforms. By promoting sleek and appealing vape products across social media, they deliberately entice young minds to experiment with these harmful devices. At this vulnerable age, children and the youth are easily influenced by peer pressure and the desire to appear ‘cool’, often mimicking the behaviours they see in such digital promotions. Hence, to protect the health and future of our children, Mothers Against Vaping is urgently appealing to the honourable ministers to take decisive action so that such promotions are immediately removed and blocked on different social platforms.”
This widespread promotion of tobacco products on social media platforms by digital creators and websites is not accidental but a deliberate strategy of the manufacturers and brands behind these harmful products. Therefore, to uphold the integrity of the country’s tobacco control laws, enforcement actions should go beyond the promoters or content creators to also hold accountable the real beneficiaries of such illicit advertising.
Mothers Against Vaping firmly believes that tackling the unchecked digital promotion of banned tobacco and vaping products is critical to the success of India’s broader tobacco control efforts. It stands ready to collaborate with the government and other stakeholders to support the implementation of effective and immediate solutions to curb the promotion of these new-age gateway devices such as vapes and e-cigarettes in the digital world.
Shruti Nagar Dave, Author, Education Specialist and Advisor to Schools & Families, said, “While the digital world has been a boon in many ways, such as enabling students to learn on YouTube yet it is deeply concerning that these very channels are being used to promote banned products like e-cigarettes and vapes. The digital world has become an integral part of life and it would be highly impractical to ask our youth to shun these online platforms. Instead, we can make such spaces a safer place for our children and youth. Digital platforms should also join this fight against the promotion of these harmful electronic products and take all steps possible to remove such content by co-operating with various stakeholders, including the government, parents and teachers.”
Mothers Against Vaping has pointed out that the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, clearly mandate that intermediaries exercise due diligence and not host content that violates Indian laws. However, platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Telegram continue to host and disseminate content promoting banned products like e-cigarettes and vapes.
Under Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules, intermediaries are required to inform users not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update, or share any information that is obscene, invasive of another’s privacy, etc., or otherwise inconsistent with or contrary to the laws of India. This includes content that promotes or advertises tobacco products, which are strictly regulated under Indian law. By continuing to host such material, these platforms are violating the very rules they are supposed to uphold.