Pakistan Must Regulate Emerging Nicotine Products Before It’s Too Late

Over the past two decades, Pakistan has made significant progress in tobacco control, yet contemporary nicotine products are now emerging as a serious public health concern. As a signatory member of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Pakistan is obligated to protect human life and reduce tobacco consumption. Government health promotion efforts, including prominent health warnings on cigarette packets, smoke-free zones, and higher taxes on tobacco products, have helped limit the use of traditional tobacco.

These efforts have not been sufficient to reduce tobacco use significantly. As per the World Health Organization, there are over 166,000 deaths due to tobacco consumption in Pakistan annually. This translates to hundreds of avoidable deaths daily. Moreover, these deaths result in a significant financial burden due to lost productivity and medical expenditure.

Even though traditional tobacco products lead in market share, new nicotine products like vape and nicotine pouches are gaining momentum in terms of popularity. Brands like VELO and ZYN have become available in stores and online. These products have become popular among youth due to their sleek design and ease of hiding. Teenagers and young adults have fallen for these products. Even though they do not burn tobacco, they do contain nicotine. Nicotine is a very potent compound with a high potential for addiction and interference with brain development.

The spread of these products has been driven largely by social media marketing. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are flooded with lifestyle content and influencer promotions that normalize nicotine use. Such campaigns have been done using Pakistani celebrities. Recent viral campaigns have featured Pakistani celebrities, including Talha Anjum and Kinza Hashmi in VELO promotions, and Mahira Khan and Wahaj Ali in campaigns urging smokers to switch from cigarettes to nicotine pouches.

Even though these campaigns may target current smokers, they are also likely to attract young people who have never smoked before. When celebrities and influencers promote addictive products, they risk normalizing their use among vulnerable audiences, which is why the ethical responsibility of public figures deserves scrutiny. Public figures must be mindful of the broader impact their endorsements have on the health and well-being of young people.

In the case of Pakistan, the regulations regarding tobacco marketing are governed by the TAPS (Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship) regulations. The traditional marketing channels, including television, print media, and billboards, have already been brought under regulation. Yet, the advent of digital marketing and social media has occurred after the regulations were put in place, creating a large gap in the regulations. The online marketers and influencers can market the nicotine products with the least restrictions, without any health warnings, and without any checks to ensure that the large number of young people are not at risk of the products.

Several countries have already addressed this gap by extending TAPS regulations to digital platforms. Australia and the United Kingdom have introduced strict regulations on online advertising of tobacco and nicotine products, including influencer content. India and Thailand have been very strict in the ban of the digital marketing of the nicotine products in Asia. Pakistan must follow suit before unregulated commercialization reaches an even greater number of young people.

The Federal Government, provincial governments, and Ministry of National Health Services need to act fast. Vaping products and nicotine pouches need to be included under the current tobacco regulations to ensure proper enforcement of regulations related to their sale, packaging, and health warnings. The regulations related to TAPS need to be extended to include digital ads and influencer marketing with stringent checks for age verification and retailer licensing.

We do not have time to lose. We lose tens of thousands of lives annually due to tobacco-related illnesses. We cannot afford to let a new generation fall prey to nicotine addiction with these largely unregulated products. We need to act fast to avoid letting nicotine products become a new means of addiction and to ensure the health of our new generation.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Opinion Desk.