New Delhi, May 31, 2024: In line with the World Health Organisation's 'World No Tobacco Day' 2024 theme of “Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference”, Mothers Against Vaping, a united front of concerned mothers combatting the escalating vaping crisis among youths, has organised an event here.
In the event titled “Saving the Next Generation from New-Age Addictions” held on Thursday at the Indian International Centre, mothers from various walks of life united under Mothers Against Vaping and pledged to protect children from the global tobacco industry’s interference.
Kushboo Sundar, actress and politician, a special invitee of BJP National Executive Committee and a member of the National Commission for Women; and Kishwar Desai, author and columnist, joined Mothers Against Vaping and bolstered the cause. They join a distinguished group of leading sports icons and influential role models like Baichung Bhutia, Deepa Malik and Neha Dhupia who stand with Mothers Against Vaping in their efforts to eradicate the menace of vaping from the lives of children.
The strong support from these diverse personalities highlights the gravity of the issue tackled by Mothers Against Vaping, affirming its recognition as a critical concern.
At the event, Mothers Against Vaping released a 4-point agenda to counter and neutralise five popular alleged strategies adopted by global tobacco industry to promote gateway devices to young children.
The global tobacco industry is purportedly employing a range of strategies to promote new-age gateway devices to children, as outlined in a recent WHO report titled "Hooking the Next Generation". One approach involves shifting focus towards electronic devices rather than traditional tobacco products, capitalizing on children's inclination towards digital technologies. Allegedly, the industry designs products and marketing campaigns tailored to entice this vulnerable demographic.
Another tactic involves spreading misinformation about the relative safety of e-cigarettes and similar devices compared to traditional tobacco products. Despite consistent warnings from doctors and health researchers about the risks of vaping, the industry allegedly promotes these products as safer alternatives, disregarding potential health hazards such as lung damage and cardiovascular issues.
Furthermore, there are allegations that the industry deliberately targets children by introducing non-nicotine products with appealing flavors like bubble-gum or candyfloss, aiming to hook them early on and transition them to nicotine-based e-cigarettes, thereby securing lifelong customers.
Digital marketing emerges as a powerful tool in these alleged strategies, with the tobacco industry using platforms like social media, online ads, and influencer partnerships to portray these devices as cool and desirable among children and youth.
Moreover, to circumvent regulations banning such devices, large tobacco companies allegedly resort to smuggling routes, often through countries like China. This illicit trade not only ensures widespread availability of vaping products but also exposes children to these devices at an alarming rate, posing significant public health concerns.
Talking about the reasons for the rising popularity of these new-age devices among children, Dr Bhavna Barmi, Clinical Psychologist, Founder, Happiness Studio said, "Children's mental states make them highly susceptible to early experimentation with addictive behaviours. Hence, we are witnessing a troubling surge in children being drawn to enticing electronic addictive devices like vapes and e-cigarettes. A major factor fuelling this trend is the packaging and advertising tactics employed by manufacturers of these modern devices.”
Mothers Against Vaping has unveiled a comprehensive four-point plan to counter the strategies of the Global Tobacco Industry.
Firstly, they advocate for extensive educational initiatives targeting diverse stakeholders, including mothers, teachers, policymakers, and children. These campaigns aim to raise awareness about the harmful effects of nicotine consumption through modern technology devices, emphasizing their potential as gateways to more dangerous substances like nicotine and heroin.
Secondly, there is a call for healthcare professionals, particularly doctors, to play a pivotal role in dispelling misconceptions and providing accurate information about the health risks associated with vaping. By leveraging their expertise, doctors can counter the misleading narratives propagated by the tobacco industry and educate both young people and their parents about the realities of vaping-related lung diseases.
Thirdly, Mothers Against Vaping suggests utilizing the same marketing tools and digital spaces employed by multinational tobacco companies. This involves launching effective campaigns across various digital channels, including collaborations with influencers whom children admire. These campaigns aim to promote messages emphasizing self-worth, individuality, and positive behaviors while rejecting gateway devices. Additionally, there is a call to engage policymakers in implementing stringent laws against various marketing and digital tools used by the tobacco industry.
Lastly, there is an urgent plea to policymakers to address smuggling. By prioritizing efforts to combat illicit supply chains, stakeholders can reduce access to vaping products, particularly among vulnerable populations like children and adolescents. This approach not only disrupts the spread of harmful substances but also upholds the integrity of regulatory frameworks aimed at controlling their proliferation.
During the event, a pledge ceremony was conducted, with a large number of mothers in attendance taking part. Chief guest Deepa Malik, Padma Shri Khel Ratna & Arjuna Awardee and a prominent member of Mothers Against Vaping, led the pledge ceremony.
She said, “This pledge is crucial. I am deeply troubled to see how our children are being lured by the tactics of device manufacturers, risking lifelong addictions not just to nicotine but to even more dangerous substances. It is heart breaking to witness children engaging in such activities when there are much more engaging activities like sports which they can participate in and move towards a bright future and Fit India in a healthy manner. We must organize more events like this and raise awareness about this pressing issue affecting our children.”
Joining Mothers Against Vaping, Kushboo Sundar, speaking about the dangerous impact that vaping and e-cigarettes are having on the lives of children and the youth said, “As a nation, we are making great strides, towards securing a bright future for our children. However, we must confront pressing issues that plague their present reality, such as the alarming prevalence of New Age Gateway Devices like e-cigarettes and vapes. It is deeply troubling to see how manufacturers of such devices are targeting our children with the intention of creating their future customer base with these enticingly sleek and sophisticated products.”
“Apart from the dangerous health risks posed to our children and youth due to the usage of these products, it also jeopardises their future career prospects and also hinders their potential contributions to our nation's growth and development. To secure the future of our nation we need to also secure the future of our children. It is highly critical that we make all efforts to remove the usage of these illegal and banned devices from our society. I fully support Mothers Against Vaping in their mission to remove the influence of these addictive devices from the lives of our children,” Kushboo added.
Kishwar Desai, author and columnist who joined the event said, “With sleek electronic devices captivating children's attention nowadays, they are often drawn to try them out — whether to appear cool, satisfy curiosity or as a means to express themselves. But this is a dangerous road. As mothers, citizens and thought leaders, it is our duty to hold up a mirror to them and convey that this road only leads to disaster and a life unfulfilled.”
The government over the years has proactively taken steps to address this issue, however, the unscrupulous elements continue to find new ways, and therefore there is a need to strengthen the enforcement framework; and one step in that direction could be to substantially increase the penal provisions against the perpetrators.
