Group of mothers urge govt to crack down on digital promotion of nicotine products

A group of mothers have appealed to the Central government to take decisive action against the digital promotion of tobacco products growing unchecked.While the current laws ban promotion of tobacco products in all forms, the manufacturers allegedly continue to actively promote them on digital media targeting children and youths, they said.The group -- Mothers Against Vaping -- have emphasised that despite the enactment of laws specifically banning new-age gateway devices such as vapes, e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products, they are being freely promoted and sold in the market.The group has written to different ministries including Home Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, Consumer Affairs, Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Information and Broadcasting to address the issue.Considering the gravity of the concern, the Mothers Against Vaping has issued a set of appeals to the ministries, including taking down the illegal and misleading contents online, and acting against entities creating such content in violation of The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019 and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.The group has also called on the government to take strict action against manufacturers and brands allegedly profiting from these products.It has also asked the government to direct digital platforms to remove content that promotes or glamorises vapes, e-cigarettes and other heated tobacco products.Mothers Against Vaping has further appealed for the establishment of an inter-ministerial task force comprising representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, MeitY and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to monitor the digital promotion of these products.The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 unequivocally bans the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes. Despite this law, the group said they have observed a disturbing trend of these products being glamorised and promoted to the youth through digital platforms.Similarly, the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 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, they said.Psychologist Dr Bhawna Barmi, who is also the founder of Happiness Studio and a member of Mothers Against Vaping, said that manufacturers of addictive products know well that children and youths, being addicted to digital devices, 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, 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," Barni said.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, the group said in a statement.It stands ready to collaborate with the government and other stakeholders to support the implementation of effective solutions to curb the promotion of these new-age gateway devices, it said.Author and education specialist Shruti Nagar Dave said, "The digital world has been a boon in many ways. For instance, online platforms such as YouTube help students to learn. Yet it is deeply concerning that these channels are being used to promote banned products like e-cigarettes and vapes."It would be highly impractical to ask the youth to shun online platforms since internet has become an integral part of life, Dave said."Instead, we can make such spaces safer for our children. Digital platforms should also join this fight and take all steps to remove such content by co-operating with various stakeholders," she said.The 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, the group said in its statement.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, or otherwise inconsistent with or contrary to the laws of India, it stated.This includes content that 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, the statement added.