Noida/NewDelhi: E-cigarettes, despite their claims to getting smokers to quit, are not free of controversies. This is perhaps why Vape Expo India 2017 — an international exhibition on the electronic devices — has fallen foul of the authorities. First, Delhi government did not permit the organisers to hold the trade show in the capital. Now, the Greater Noida authorities have withdrawn the permission given to the exhibition at Indian Exposition Mart on September 9-10. Sources said the organisers will move Delhi high court on the issue.The two-day event, organised by Connextions Orbis Pvt Ltd, was to have brought together over 200 exhibitors, including manufacturers of electric cigarettes, e-liquids, inhaling equipment and accessories. According to the event website, it aimed to “show new products and expand their distribution channels”.
Padmakar Singh, director (medicine and health), UP government, has written to Meerut commissioner Prabhat Kumar, district magistrate BN Singh, chief medical officer Anurag Bhargava and Love Kumar, SSP, Gautam Budh Nagar, that assent had been withdrawn for the expo.
In the letter, the health director said that the event violated Sections 4 and 5 of the Cigarettes & Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, as well as provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. “This event will promote e-cigarettes and also attract the youth,” the letter summed up.
On August 31, even the Union ministry of health and family welfare had denied Connextions Orbis permission for the event. N Kumaraswamy, undersecretary in the ministry, informed the expo organiser that its request for approval “has not been acceded to”.
Amid reports that the company would seek redress in court, an official of Connextions Orbis said on Wednesday, “The event has been cancelled because of objections from the State Tobacco Control Cell. We were only the event organisers and had nothing more to do with the expo.”
Earlier, Delhi government had turned down the proposal for the expo to be held in the capital in the beginning of August. SK Arora, state tobacco control officer, told he had flagged the illegality of the event when the request was made. “The government took a stand against it. The organiser then sought to move the event to Greater Noida. I am happy that authorities there have nixed the plan,” Arora said.
E-cigarettes have been banned in several states and Delhi too is contemplating a law to proscribe the product. Vape Expo India was the first conference involving the Indian e-cigarette industry. “If 10% of Indian smokers switch to vaping, it will mean close to 11 million vapers,” the event website said of the potential for e-cigarettes in the country.
Bureau Report
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