Peshawar: A coalition of civil society organisations, child rights advocates, and youth groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has opposed the government’s move to fast-track mandatory standards for nicotine-containing tobacco-free oral products, warning that the proposal risks undermining public health and youth protection.
The objections come as authorities consider converting a previously voluntary technical standard, drafted during the COVID-19 period, into mandatory regulation. Critics argue the move could normalise the use of highly addictive nicotine products and widen access for children and young people in a province already facing enforcement challenges.
The proposal has been rejected by several organisations, including the Child Rights Movement, members of the EVAW/G Alliance Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Tribal Youth Association, the Youth Parliament Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the National Volunteer Corps, and the Muslim Students Federation. The groups say making the standards mandatory would prioritise industry interests and exports over public health considerations.
Groups warn standards overlook public health safeguards
In a joint position, the coalition said the proposed framework focuses largely on technical specifications such as labelling requirements and a nicotine cap, while failing to address key public-health measures. These include effective age-verification systems, restrictions on flavours and marketing, retailer licensing, taxation policies, and access to cessation support.
The organisations also raised concerns about industry influence, saying the push to mandate the standards appeared to be driven by commercial considerations rather than health outcomes.
“Pakistan cannot afford to trade public health for profit,” said Usman Afridi, Convenor of the National Alliance for Sustainable Tobacco Control. He warned that legitimising high-dose nicotine products without comprehensive safeguards could undermine tobacco-control efforts.
Youth, legal voices raise rights and protection concerns
Youth representatives cautioned that nicotine pouches, particularly flavoured and discreet products, could appeal to adolescents and first-time users, increasing the risk of addiction and long-term health consequences.
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“This decision places Pakistan’s youth in harm’s way,” said Bushra Afridi, a member of the Prime Minister’s National Youth Council, warning that normalising such products without strict controls could encourage experimentation and dependence.
Legal experts also questioned the move on constitutional and rights-based grounds. Ameenullah Kundi, an advocate and member of the Pukhtun Student Federation, said regulating a product did not make it safe and argued that the state had a duty to protect children and young people from addictive substances.
The coalition has called for an immediate halt and rollback of efforts to make nicotine pouch standards mandatory, urging the government to ensure that any future policy decisions are guided by public-health priorities, youth protection, and prevention rather than commercial interests.
