Nepal Government Initiates Ban on E-Cigarettes Amid Health Concerns

According to a report from Kathmandu media on May 7th, the Nepalese government has initiated the process to ban e-cigarettes. The National Health Education, Information and Communication Center (NHEICC) under the Ministry of Health in Nepal has sought cooperation from multiple departments to enforce this ban.

Director of the National Center for Health Education, Information, and Communication, Keshav Raj Pandit, has called on the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, as well as the Department of Customs and the Department of Commerce, Supply, and Consumer Protection to collectively enforce the ban on the use of e-cigarettes.

Pan Weidi cited Article 28, Paragraph 4 of the Tobacco Products Control Regulations of 2071 BS, which states that individuals or entities are not allowed to produce, import, sell, distribute, consume in public places and public transportation, or promote and advertise e-cigarette products through media channels.

Bhakta Bahadur KC, Senior Health Education Administrator at NHEICC, stated that once the directives issued by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Communication are implemented, e-cigarettes will be banned in Nepal. Addressing concerns about individuals potentially using e-cigarettes as a tool to quit smoking, he emphasized that the health risks associated with e-cigarettes are similar to those of traditional cigarettes and could serve as a gateway to tobacco consumption.

He said, "Using e-cigarettes can lead to nicotine addiction and mimic smoking habits. Therefore, e-cigarettes have actually become a gateway to tobacco use." The use of e-cigarettes not only affects individual cardiovascular and nervous system health, but also causes oral health problems. Additionally, it poses risks to people nearby.

In Nepal, there are various flavors of e-cigarettes available to choose from. According to customs data, Nepal imported 3,223,687 e-cigarette devices in the last fiscal year, with the majority coming from China (3,175,815 devices), followed by the United States (265,640 devices) and the United Arab Emirates (12,967 devices). Other countries from which e-cigarettes were imported include India, the United Kingdom, and others.

Dr. Bakta Bahadur KC pointed out that Nepal's annual electrical trade volume is estimated at 32 billion Nepalese Rupees (approximately 240 million USD). He mentioned that in the past five years, Nepal's import volume has increased by 200 times. The prices of e-cigarettes range from 10,000 to 13,000 Nepalese Rupees.