Some vaping products were still listed on Flipkart and Amazon on Thursday, while several other websites discontinued their sales a day after the government's ban. A media reporter successfully placed an order for a vape device on Amazon on Thursday, it said. Websites such as Vapestop and Litejoy, which offered vaping products online, discontinued their operations.
Amazon.com, Walmart-owned Flipkart and other e-commerce portals in India have already scrambled on Thursday to pull listings of vaping products a day after the federal government imposed a nationwide ban on electronic cigarettes.
Warning of an “epidemic” among young people, India banned the sale, production, import and advertising of e-cigarettes, dealing a blow to plans of companies such as Philip Morris International and Juul Labs to sell the products in India.
On Wednesday, India’s health ministry said use of e-cigarettes had increased exponentially and acquired epidemic proportions in developed countries, especially among youth and children. On the other side, pro-vaping groups have criticised the decision of the government saying it would deter people from switching from conventional cigarettes to less harmful alternatives.
