PAKISTAN faces a critical public health crisis due to widespread smokeless tobacco (SLT) use. Despite being a party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which mandates clear health warnings and discourages deceptive packaging, Pakistan has not implemented effective regulatory measures for SLT products. This lack of oversight allows the tobacco industry to continue harmful practices. Comprehensive regulation is essential to tackle the public health risks posed by SLT, which includes non-combustible products like Naswar and chewing tobacco popular in South Asia.
SLT poses serious health risks, containing high levels of carcinogens like Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines (TSNAs). Classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), SLT is strongly linked to oral, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases, and significantly increases mortality rates. In Pakistan, about 13% of the........