The Ground Reality: Banned on Paper, Available Everywhere
Despite a strict nationwide ban enacted under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) in 2019, and Rajasthan being one of the pioneering states to announce a ban seven years ago (initially targeting the products in mid-2019), the ground reality tells a completely different story.
A series of local investigative reports and sting operations have exposed a thriving black market. From local paan shops to high-end lounges in Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur, store owners confidently claim, "Get as many as you want." The devices are being openly smuggled, distributed online, and sold undercover right under the nose of law enforcement agencies.
The IPL Trigger: Top Cricketers Caught in the Vaping Net
The issue exploded into national headlines during the IPL 2026 season when prominent Indian athletes were caught violating anti-tobacco rules, highlighting how normalized vaping has become among youth icons.
The Riyan Parag Incident: Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag was caught on live television vaping an e-cigarette inside the dressing room during a high-stakes match against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. The BCCI took immediate action, fining Parag 25% of his match fee and giving him a demerit point for bringing the game into disrepute.
The Yuzvendra Chahal Controversy: Close on the heels of Parag's incident, veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal faced extreme backlash after a video emerged of him allegedly vaping on a commercial flight—an act that not only violates federal law but risks public safety on an aircraft, threatening a potential placement on the aviation "No-Fly List."
These high-profile incidents have drawn severe criticism from public health advocates, who argue that elite athletes acting as role models are inadvertently endorsing a highly hazardous and illegal habit.
The Medical Warning: "One Vape Can Be As Toxic As 2,000 Cigarettes"
Medical experts and health authorities have rubbished the corporate narrative that e-cigarettes are a "safer alternative" to traditional tobacco.
Because vapes are unregulated, manufacturers load them with synthetic nicotine, heavy metals (like nickel, tin, and lead), and ultra-fine chemical flavorings. Health experts warn that high-capacity disposable vapes (offering 10,000 to 20,000 puffs) deliver concentrated chemical doses that can match or exceed the toxic cellular damage caused by smoking 2,000 traditional cigarettes over time.
What is Popcorn Lung? Many illegal vapes use diacetyl for flavoring. When inhaled, it causes irreversible scarring in the smallest airways of the lungs, a condition medically known as bronchiolitis obliterans or "popcorn lung."
High Court Steps In Amid Inadequate Policing
The explosion of the online vape market has reached the judiciary. The Rajasthan High Court expressed deep dissatisfaction with the state police's enforcement mechanisms, calling them "inadequate and lacking tangible results."
While the central government maintains that the state must enforce the 2019 Act, local police departments admit they face immense limitations in tracking digital transactions, dark web portals, and encrypted social media supply chains used by smugglers to ship vapes into Rajasthan.
