India, Dec. 3 -- Pan masala and gutka are words familiar to every Indian, even to those who never touch the products. In North India, government buildings and staircases stained with their tell-tale marks bear silent testimony to their widespread use.
Pan masala is truly ubiquitous - sold at every corner shop, splashed across billboards with celebrity endorsements, and promoted on television as a lifestyle product.
Yet behind this glossy veneer lies a harsh reality. Laced with tobacco and several harmful additives, pan masala is a carcinogenic concoction freely available in the Indian market. Its consumption has only risen over the years, driven by low cost, easy accessibility, and its highly addictive nature. The industry itself is a hea...