NEW DELHI, Sept 25 — India's government has ordered states to crack down on the sale of nicotine pouches, which it considers a major health risk, saying globally popular brands are being widely sold illegally in the country, according to a Health Ministry letter.
Nicotine pouches have emerged as one of Big Tobacco's most important bets on a future beyond cigarettes, offering rapid growth, attractive margins and, for now, lighter regulation than many rival smoking alternatives.
In India, where tobacco kills 1.35 million people a year, the government has banned e-cigarettes but approved certain nicotine replacements like patches and chewing gum.
Nicotine pouches — small packets placed under the lip that contain nicotine but no tobacco — remain illegal and unapproved, with a government source saying they are often smuggled into India for sale online and through local tobacco stores.
A federal study in June called them "a largely unregulated public health concern", with wide consumption among people aged 18 to 40 of brands such as Philip Morris' Zyn and Swedish Smokeless Solutions' White Fox.
There is increased "availability of oral nicotine pouches through online and offline channels in the country...Nicotine exposure is of particular concern among children.
"Initiate appropriate enforcement action in accordance with the law, in the interest of public health and protection of children," the Health Ministry wrote in a letter to all states on Saturday (September 19), as seen by Reuters.
The directive cited provisions of India's drug law that allow for the search and seizure of such products and the prosecution of those selling them.
The ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Philip Morris and Swedish Smokeless did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On its website, Philip Morris says that it has zero tolerance for illegal trade, while Swedish Smokeless urges users to buy only original products from authorised outlets.
While the World Health Organisation has said governments need to introduce more safeguards to protect people, especially youth, from nicotine pouch addiction, some agencies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration say smokers who switch completely to alternatives such as pouches, vapes, and heated tobacco products may reduce their health risks.
No new approvals
In April, an Indian investigation found that the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, run by billionaire Gautam Adani's business group, breached the law by selling nicotine pouches.
Adani has denied wrongdoing, and earlier this week, an Indian court rejected the company's arguments that duty-free shops are immune from domestic laws. It also told the Adani Group it was free to make representations before the government to make a case for the pouches.
However, the government believes "nicotine pouches are addictive, pose independent health risks, and have not been established as effective smoking-cessation aids," according to minutes of the main federal drug panel's meeting published last Wednesday (September 16).
The Drugs Technical Advisory Board "recommended that no new nicotine formulation be approved henceforth in public interest".
