Keep nicotine-based chewing gum away from our children!

The Indian Tobacco Company Ltd. has launched a huge advertising campaign to promote Kwiknic, a nicotine based chewing gum which is supposed to help cigarette smokers and tobacco chewers with de-addiction. However, we fear the marketing, advertising and easy availability of the chewing gum may lead to usage of these products by our children. 

The adverse effects of these gums on children are well documented. Nicotine gum could be abused by children leading to nicotine addiction and all the consequences of nicotine abuse. As it does not emit the offensive cigarette smell, parents, teachers, trainers and coaches may not be able to detect that the child is using the gum. 

Kwiknic is freely available in several flavours at almost every large and little shop selling groceries and confectionaries in Bangalore, at Rs 30 for a pack of 6 and Rs 50 for a pack of 10 chewing gums. The literature inside the packet warns of the adverse effects on children. However, there are no statutory warnings and pictures on these chewing gum packs unlike on cigarette packs. 

Chewing gum is classified as 'Food' under the Food Safety Act, 2006. Further, Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, prohibits sale of any food product containing nicotine or tobacco. Thus, this chewing gum cannot be sold in the food bazaars and other outlets as is the case now. 

We urge the Food Safety Commissioner, Karnataka, to: 

a) Restrict the sale and distribution of nicotine gums to people over 18 years of age through medical stores and pharmacies against a prescription. 

b) Ban large scale advertising of these products. 

c) Not allow sale of nicotine chewing gums within and around school premises as in the case of cigarettes and alcohol. 

d) Ensure that Statutory warnings and pictures (as in the case of cigarettes) are prominently displayed on nicotine gum packs. 

e) Ensure that nicotine gums are of a colour which differentiates them from other chewing gums, so that a parent can easily spot if a child is using nicotine gum. We therefore suggest that all nicotine gum products be ‘black’ or a ‘deep grey' in colour. 

As concerned parents we appeal for prompt and decisive action at the earliest, so that our children are not lured into experimenting with nicotine based chewing gums to the detriment of their health.