India has gone far further than the US and outright banned the substance, despite having no additional restrictions on conventional cigarettes, which have been shown to be several times more dangerous. Under the pretext of preventing possible health threats to India’s youth, the government declared a full ban on e-cigarettes in September 2019. This ruling was passed as an ordinance without discussion or deliberation in the parliament, largely ignoring all proof of health threats and lessons learned from India’s previous disastrous experiences with similar policies.
In the absence of data and facts from India, it would be instructive to examine two policy approaches that have been implemented elsewhere in the world and draw relevant lessons for India’s next move.
Risk reduction and abstinence
The government may take one of two approaches when people participate in risky and dangerous behaviour (especially victimless activities): abstinence or harm reduction; prohibition or regulation. Abstinence entails adopting a paternalistic mindset, highlighting risky behaviour, and radically altering rewards to get people to stop. This can include prohibitions and harsh punishments for breaches, as well as the imposition of high sin taxes. In certain situations, where risk is clearly known, such as smoking or heavy drinking, this strategy can seem to be the best option.
However, as numerous examples demonstrate, this seldom works.
The alternative is to accept that certain individuals will still indulge in risky behaviour, and that the government has no influence over how people act. The goal, however, is to minimise the harm by offering less dangerous alternatives.
Regulating the amount of alcohol in beverages, supplying sex education and contraception to teens, and also mandating the use of condoms are examples of harm-reduction policies. The United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) approached ENDS, or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, in two very different ways, with very different outcomes. The United States has a tumultuous past of ENDS, with several policy reversals that have had disastrous effects in society.
The United Kingdom, on the other hand, has promoted the use of ENDS as a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes. This is a tale of two opposing public policy proposals with important implications for India.
