KARACHI: Raising alarm over the growing use of e-cigarettes, vapes, and nicotine pouches among Pakistani youth, health experts have said that these new nicotine products are becoming widely accessible in Pakistan and remain largely unregulated.

They called for urgent state action, stricter policies, and increased awareness to curb the use of these harmful products.

The experts were speaking at a seminar, ‘Evolving Trends: A Deep Dive into New Nicotine and Tobacco Products’, jointly organised by Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) and Health Services Academy (HSA) here at a local hotel on Saturday.

The speakers also expressed concern over the tobacco industry’s deceptive marketing of these products as ‘safer’ alternatives, which, they pointed out, was driving their popularity among youth.

Health experts concerned over ‘deceptive’ marketing of e-cigarettes, vapes, nicotine pouches as being ‘safer’

The programme brought together a diverse group of healthcare providers, as well as students from Sindh and Punjab, to discuss the latest advancements in nicotine and tobacco products, focusing on their health implications.

“As pulmonologists and healthcare providers, our role goes beyond treatment. Staying ahead of trends in nicotine and tobacco products empowers us to guide our patients more effectively and advocate for robust, evidence-based public health policies,” said Dr Matiur Rahman, Professor of Pulmonology and Dean of Allied Health Sciences, HSA.

Dr Babar T Shaikh from HSA, Dr Mujahid Hussain, and Dr Madiha Siddiqi, representing the IHHN, shared critical insights into the evolving complexities of new nicotine products.

Dr Shaikh highlighted the public health risks posed by these products, stating that the emergence of new nicotine and tobacco products has serious public health implications, such as unclear ingredients and safety parameters, as well as easy access and greater uptake by youth under the misconception that these products are less harmful.

“With the country already facing a triple burden of disease—including infectious and non-communicable diseases—these products are worsening the public health crisis. Effective regulation is the need of the hour to address the rampant use and promotion of new tobacco and nicotine products,” he said.

The event also featured a panel discussion with multidisciplinary professionals: Dr Sohail Akhtar (IHHN), Dr Javaid Khan (AKUH), Dr Shahid Baig (HSA), Dr Abdul Salam Majeed Agha (Memon Medical Institute), Dr Najeeb Naimatullah (SIUT), and Dr Faridah Amin (IHHN).

Together, they discussed how these products can harm the heart and lungs, increase the risk of cancer, and lead to addiction.

The panellists stressed that these products contain highly addictive nicotine and other harmful elements that contribute to chronic diseases. “The chemicals in tobacco may cause genetic mutations, leading to cancer and other serious diseases,” cautioned Prof Dr Shahid Baig, senior genetic scientist and Dean of Life Sciences at HSA.

A critical segment of the seminar reviewed the controversial use of new nicotine products as smoking cessation tools, weighing the benefits against public health risks and examining international guidelines for their use.

Dr Saima Saeed, Head of Pulmonology and Director of the Lung Health Program at IHHN, underscored the need for swift action.

“New nicotine products are becoming widely accessible and largely unregulated in Pakistan. While we’ve made progress in tobacco control, these emerging products present a growing challenge,” she said.

She called for collaboration between healthcare professionals and policymakers to educate the public and push for stronger regulation.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2024