New Delhi, Sept. 8 -- The rapid emergence of recreational nicotine pouches in Pakistan presents a regulatory puzzle that policymakers can no longer afford to ignore. On one hand, the legal framework governing drugs and poisonous substances in Punjab, and indeed across Pakistan, clearly recognizes nicotine as a hazardous compound beyond defined thresholds.

On the other hand, commercially available "Recreational Nicotine Pouches" are being openly marketed and sold with concentrations that significantly exceed those thresholds, with little to no oversight. This contradiction is not merely administrative; it has serious public health implications, particularly for young people who are increasingly being targeted by these products.

The Punja...