Chandigarh, Dec. 26 -- Despite a nationwide ban since 2019, electronic cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, continue to be freely available in Chandigarh, a random check by this reporter at two of the city markets revealed.

The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, bans the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, distribution, sale and storage of e-cigarettes, technically referred to as the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), in view of the health hazards.

First patented in 1965 and extensively advertised as a cessation device to quit tobacco cigarette smoking, multiple studies have established that e-cigarettes are carcinogenic (cancer-causing), contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals and lead to lun...