India orders crackdown on nicotine pouches, citing health risks, letter shows

India's government has ordered States to crack down ‌on the sale of nicotine pouches, which it considers a major health ​risk, saying globally popular brands are being widely sold illegally in ⁠the country, a letter from the Health Ministry shows.

Nicotine pouches have emerged as one of Big Tobacco's most important bets on a future beyond cigarettes, offering rapid growth, attractive margins and, for now, ‌lighter regulation than many rival smoking alternatives.

In India, where tobacco kills 1.35 million people a year, the government has banned e-cigarettes but approved certain nicotine ‌replacements like patches and chewing gums.

Nicotine pouches - small packets placed under the ‌lip ⁠that contain nicotine but no tobacco - remain illegal and unapproved, with a government ⁠source saying they are often smuggled into India for sale online and through local tobacco stores.