Srinagar, May 27 -- In Kashmir's crowded markets, roadside stalls, and neighbourhood shops, the sale of loose cigarettes has become an entrenched practice; so ordinary that its illegality is almost invisible. Yet every single stick sold outside the law is a quiet betrayal: of public health, of deterrent policies, and of the youth who are drawn into nicotine's grip before adulthood.

Despite clear prohibitions under tobacco control legislation, single-stick sales thrive. They strip away the graphic warnings meant to shock, bypass taxation designed to deter, and offer anonymity and affordability to minors. A cigarette priced at eight rupees is not just a purchase rather the first step into dependency, a loophole that undermines the very fou...