Do Smokeless Tobacco Sales Have The Same Policy Restrictions As Cigarettes?

Is smokeless tobacco products regulation policy less strict than cigarette product regulations? Yes, they are, answers the new study.

Regulations on smokeless tobacco products are not as strict as the cigarette use restrictions, finds a new study. The results of this study are published in the journal of The Lancet Oncology.

The study, published in The Lancet Oncology, highlighted that of the 181 countries using the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), only 138 define smokeless tobacco in their statutes and 34 countries have so far reported levying tax on smokeless tobacco products.

Smokeless Tobacco is Less Lethal Than Smoking
Snus, a type of moist powdered tobacco, typically held in the mouth between the lips and gums is 95 percent safer than smoking.

‘More policy work needed to reduce the use of smokeless tobacco, say researchers’

Just six countries check and regulate the content of smokeless tobacco products while only 41 mandate pictorial health warnings on these products.

Professor Kamran Siddiqi, from the University of York’s Department of Health Sciences, said: "Smokeless tobacco is particularly popular in Asia and Africa and includes chewing tobacco as well as various types of nasal tobacco.

"They contain high levels of nicotine as well as cancer producing toxic chemicals, making head and neck cancers common in those who consume smokeless tobacco products.

70 Million Indian Women Consume Smokeless Tobacco, Many to Kill Hunger: Report
70 million Indian women above the age of 15 years use smokeless tobacco (SLT), reveals Union Health Ministry report on SLT.

"Women are a particularly high-risk group, as cigarette smoking is less social acceptable in females in parts of Asia and Africa, resulting in smokeless tobacco being a popular alternative.

"We found that there is a policy implementation gap in smokeless tobacco control, highlighting the need for increased global efforts to reduce the use of the products to catch-up with the progress made in curbing cigarette consumption.."

Smokeless Tobacco Snus Increases Mortality Risk in Prostate Cancer
Snus is a powdered tobacco product, often sold in teabag-like sachets, that is placed under the upper lip for extended periods.

Researchers, funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) are now working to establish a new global health group to address smokeless tobacco use in South Asia. The team will bring together researchers from around the world to critically assess policy and develop interventions to address the problems caused by smokeless tobacco, particularly in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Professor Ravi Mehrotra, Director of the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (ICMR-NICPR), India, said: "Smokeless tobacco use is a public health concern in Southeast Asia, and beyond and requires a comprehensive approach to deal with the challenges identified in this study.

Indian Smokers Who Quit Get Hooked to Smokeless Tobacco
About 44 percent of Indians who quit smoking are found to get hooked to other forms of tobacco which are as harmful as cigarettes and bidis.

"The WHO FCTC Global Knowledge Hub on Smokeless Tobacco at ICMR-NICPR is committed to assisting in implementing the key recommendations in order to reduce the significant health burden."

Source-Eurekalert