ICMR Study Reveals Nicotine Pouches Evade Indian Tobacco Laws

Gist A recent study by the ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research reveals that tobacco-free nicotine pouches are proliferating in Indian cities through online platforms and delivery services. Because they contain no tobacco leaf and are non-electronic, these highly addictive pouches currently bypass existing tobacco control laws and e-cigarette bans. Aspirants must understand this regulatory grey area, as it highlights the governance challenge of updating statutory frameworks to combat novel psychoactive substances before widespread addiction and smuggling take root. Background A nicotine pouch is a small, tea-bag-like sack containing plant-based fibres, flavourings, and pure nicotine. Placed between the lip and gum, it delivers nicotine directly into the bloodstream without combustion, vapour, or spitting. India currently regulates traditional tobacco products through the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 COTPA , which restricts marketing and sale, while electronic nicotine delivery systems are banned outright under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 PECA . Pure nicotine used for therapeutic cessation is regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 . The emergence of recreational, non-electronic nicotine pouches falls into a…