According to PTI reports, the addiction problem among Indian teenagers to products such as e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heat-not-burn (HNB) products has attracted attention. Dr Abhijit Sarma, director of Gunhati Medical College and Hospital, said it is worrying that more and more teenagers are using e-cigarettes, which may lead to addiction to drugs such as cocaine and nicotine.
Mothers Against Vaping (MAV), a platform of mothers concerned about teen e-cigarette use, cites multiple studies showing that the devices contain approximately 900-2,000 chemicals that can Penetrates deep into the lungs and causes extensive and harmful damage to the respiratory system. Dr Sharma warned that a new generation of tobacco devices is looming, posing a significant risk to the health and well-being of young people.
He added that urgent and comprehensive measures must be taken to prevent the emergence of a new generation of e-cigarette smokers. On top of this, Dr. Sharma said, another concern is that these devices can become a gateway to the use of serious addictive substances such as cocaine and nicotine.
Dr Nayem Raja, a pediatric and congenital heart surgeon at Healthy City Hospital in Gunhati, said e-cigarette use among children has become a major concern globally and as a result, several countries such as India have E-cigarettes are banned.