Lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have raised concerns over a federal move to fast-track mandatory standards for nicotine pouches, warning that allowing high nicotine levels could expose children and young people to addiction and long-term health risks.

The issue was brought to the assembly floor by Shazia Tehmas Khan, who tabled a resolution questioning the federal government’s proposal to permit up to 20 milligrams of nicotine per pouch. Public health experts have cautioned that such a level is highly addictive, particularly for adolescents and first-time users.

Lawmakers expressed concern that formalising the standard could increase the availability of nicotine pouches and encourage experimentation among youth, especially in a country where age-verification and enforcement mechanisms remain weak. The resolution also questioned whether economic or export considerations were being prioritised over public health and youth protection.

A key point raised in the assembly was whether the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department had been consulted before advancing the proposed standard, and what position the province had taken on the high nicotine threshold. The debate highlighted broader concerns over federal decision-making on public health matters without meaningful provincial input.

Civil society organisations welcomed the move, describing it as a necessary legislative check on what they termed an industry-driven regulatory push. They warned that converting a voluntary technical guideline into a mandatory standard could normalise nicotine use rather than reduce addiction.

Public health advocate Qamar Naseem said the issue extends beyond technical regulation. He warned that fixing a 20mg nicotine limit through standardisation risks legitimising addiction, particularly among young people, and said raising the matter in the assembly was timely.

Support for the resolution also came from the National Alliance for Sustainable Tobacco & Nicotine Control. Its coordinator, Usman Afridi, said the move sends a strong message on youth protection, stressing that nicotine products in any form carry serious health risks.

With the resolution now part of the formal legislative record, federal authorities are being urged to clarify the rationale behind the proposed standard, disclose details of provincial consultations, and explain how risks to youth health will be addressed. Observers say the issue could trigger further parliamentary scrutiny and wider public debate in the coming days.