New Delhi: An anti-vaping group on Monday lauded the Centre for its Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0 and called for ban on new-age gateway devices like e-cigarettes and vapes in the country.

Mothers Against Vaping, a collective of proactive and concerned mothers, has been spearheading a campaign to raise demand for awareness against electronic cigarettes.

The second edition of Tobacco Free Youth Campaign group was launched at Lady Hardinge Medical College here on Monday by Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav.

During the event, a video message from Dr Deepa Malik, a Padma Shri, Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awardee, and a member of Mothers Against Vaping, was played out.

"I am a strong supporter of the work being done by Mothers Against Vaping. It is an important initiative which will give the right direction and the right choices to the youth. I also thank the Government of India for the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0 as it will create awareness and keep the youth of India fit and aware," Malik said in her message.

"It is sad to see even very young children taking up vaping thinking it is less harmful. The fact is that it is illegal and also more harmful," she added.

Mothers Against Vaping advocates for a comprehensive ban on any kind of promotion, direct or indirect, of all vaping devices, including non-nicotine variants by proactively talking about the subject.

PTI