TP Report
PESHAWAR: A new policy controversy has emerged as Shazia Tehmas Khan, Member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, tabled a resolution questioning the Federal Government’s fast-tracked move to make nicotine pouch standards mandatory, warning that the proposed policy could expose children and young people to high-dose nicotine addiction.
The resolution draws attention to the proposed standard that would legally permit up to 20 milligrams (mg) of nicotine per pouch, a level public health experts describe as highly addictive, particularly for adolescents and first-time users. Lawmakers and health advocates caution that formalising such a threshold could lead to wider availability, increased experimentation among youth, and long-term dependency, especially in settings where age enforcement remains weak.
By raising the issue on the Assembly floor, the MPA has formally questioned whether economic and export considerations are being prioritised over public health and youth protection. A key concern highlighted in the resolution is whether the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department was consulted at all before advancing the proposed standardisation, and if so, what position the Province took on allowing such high nicotine limits. The move has triggered debate over federal decision-making without provincial health input on an issue with direct public health implications.
Civil society organisations have welcomed the Assembly intervention, calling it a necessary political check on what they describe as an industry-driven regulatory push. They argue that converting a voluntary technical standard into a mandatory one effectively normalises nicotine consumption, rather than preventing addiction, and risks creating a new pathway to nicotine dependence among young people.
Reacting to the development, Qamar Naseem, a public health advocate, said: “This is not a routine technical matter. Fixing a 20 mg nicotine limit through standardisation risks legitimising addiction, especially among young people. Raising this in the Assembly was both timely and necessary.
The move was also supported by the National Alliance for Sustainable Tobacco & Nicotine Control. Its Coordinator, Usman Afridi, stated: This resolution sends a clear signal that nicotine products, regardless of form, carry serious risks. Protecting young people from nicotine addiction is a shared responsibility of the state, civil society, and all stakeholders.
By tabling the resolution, the issue has now entered the formal legislative record, calling the federal authorities to justify the proposed standardisation, disclose provincial consultations, and explain how youth health risks will be addressed. Observers note that continued silence or lack of clarity could lead to further parliamentary scrutiny and expanded public debate in the coming days.
