New Delhi: Herbal tobacco cessation products (HTCPs) are being widely sold on Indian e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, etc, often with unverified health claims and minimal regulatory oversight, according to a new study led by the ICMR–National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR).

These products, which include herbal capsules, lozenges, gutkha substitutes, powders and herbal smokes, are increasingly marketed as “natural” and safer alternatives to conventional pharmacotherapy, the study published in the BMJ’s Tobacco Control journal revealed.

“Herbal tobacco cessation products are widely available on Indian e-commerce platforms with unverified health claims and minimal regulatory disclosure,” said corresponding author Prashant Kumar Singh, scientist at ICMR-NICPR.

“This poses significant consumer protection and tobacco control challenges. Strengthened oversight, claim verification, and policy alignment with WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control guidelines are urgently needed.”

The researchers identified 316 unique HTCPs across the five platforms. They found little evidence of regulatory checks on the safety or effectiveness of these products. Only 12 per cent displayed age restrictions, and none had functional verification mechanisms.

Misleading claims and endorsements

The analysis showed that 43.7 per cent of products carried additional health claims such as detoxification or anxiety relief. A small fraction (0.5 per cent) even referenced WHO affiliation, raising concerns about misleading endorsements.

The products were available in three main formulations: combustible items (42.7 per cent), raw herbal preparations (34.5 per cent), and other formats including gummies, drops, capsules and patches (22.8 per cent). They were marketed in diverse flavours such as apple, paan and gulkand, with prices ranging from ₹15 to ₹1,467, with premium pricing concentrated on Amazon.

Certifications without proof

Notably, 62.3 per cent of products carried at least one form of certification or quality claim, including ISO (23.4 per cent), AYUSH systems like Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (20.3 per cent), Good Manufacturing Practice (15.2 per cent), and FSSAI (13.2 per cent). However, the study emphasised that these labels do not guarantee effectiveness in helping people quit tobacco.

The researchers concluded that the largely unregulated marketing of HTCPs poses a significant risk to public health and called for urgent policy intervention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IANS inputs