NEW DELHI: Herbal tobacco cessation products have an unregulated market on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, revealed a new study led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR).
Herbal tobacco cessation products (HTCPs), which are mainly herbal capsules, lozenges, gutkha substitutes, powders, and herbal smokes, are being increasingly marketed as natural and safer alternatives to conventional pharmacotherapy.
"Herbal tobacco cessation products are widely available on Indian e-commerce platforms with unverified health claims and minimal regulatory disclosure, ” said corresponding author Dr Prashant Kumar Singh, scientist at ICMR-NICPR.
“This poses significant consumer protection and tobacco control challenges. Strengthened oversight, claim verification, and policy alignment with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control guidelines are urgently needed, ” he added.
The researchers noted that there is little regulatory oversight or evidence on their safety and effectiveness.
The research, published in the BMJ’s Tobacco Control journal, identified 316 unique HTCPs across 5 major Indian e-commerce platforms -- Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, JioMart, and Meesho.
A small fraction (0.5 per cent) referenced the WHO affiliation, raising concerns about potentially misleading endorsements.
In addition, 43.7 per cent of products promoted ancillary health claims such as detoxification or anxiety relief.
Only 12 per cent of products displayed age restrictions, and none had functional age verification mechanisms.