Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Sep 2: Despite the prohibition on selling e-cigarettes, their use, along with regular cigarettes, is on the rise in the Manipal area of the taluk.

Police recently confiscated e-cigarettes worth thousands of rupees from a shop owned by Mohammed Unaish (25), a native of Kasargod, located on the road leading to the DC office in Manipal. During interrogation, the accused admitted to running the business in partnership with another individual.

It has been revealed that all parts required for making e-cigarettes are procured from Mumbai and assembled in Manipal. The investigation also uncovered that, in addition to e-cigarettes, cool drinks, perfumes, and lighters are easily transported from Mumbai to Manipal via trains and buses.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, e-cigarettes were sold in large quantities in some shops in Manipal. The Manipal police conducted continuous raids on these shops and imposed heavy fines on the offenders, which temporarily halted their sale. However, according to local residents, the sale of e-cigarettes has resurfaced.

E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, vape pens, hookah pens, e-cigars, and e-pipes, contain e-liquid composed of nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine, and aromatic substances. These components differ from those in regular cigarettes, but the nicotine content still leads to addiction. Doctors warn that smoking e-cigarettes can cause high heat, lung issues, and nerve damage.

There is also concern that narcotic drugs may be filled inside e-cigarettes. In addition to the e-cigarette problem, regular cigarette smoking in public places is rampant in Manipal. The enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) appears to be sporadic, with many people seen smoking cigarettes right beneath signs that state, ‘Cigarette smoking is injurious to health’.

Devaraj T V, police inspector of Manipal, said, “Police are conducting operations against e-cigarettes in various locations. If the public finds anyone selling or smoking e-cigarettes, they are encouraged to report it to the police.”