Naswar

Multimedia Story By Saad Muhammad Hanif

Research: Nandani Bholwani

Producer: Waqar Ali Durrani

5 July, 2022.

Naswar, a Pakistani snuff is one of the cheapest Smokeless Tabacoo consumed by people in Karachi on daily basis. Coming from the North (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) to the Southern costal city of Pakistan, this SLT is available just in 20 rupees per packet. In Pushto and local language it's called Nas, and Kopi .

The high demand and supply of Naswar in Karachi is due to large number of immigrants from KPK. This culturally ingrained product, traditionally manufactured by hands and now machines in cottage factories, sold and used by mostly Pakhtoon ethic group is consider better than smoking cigarette.

A research Report " Nawar Dipping, Shift in Behavior in Multi Ethnicity setting" by Dorset County Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, UK, 2Department of Biochemistry, Department of Physiology, Ziauddin University, Pakhtoon Naswar user in Karachi are 57 %. However, in Karachi, being a cosmospotiian city with population of 18 million, people from all over the country, Naswar usage is common among other ethic groups is 22%.

Factories are fully functional and producing tons of it without any hurdle in Saddar, Keemari, Banaras and Lee market area of Karachi. There is no official data from Karachi is available to add. Most of the researches are done in Peshawar, and from other cities of KPK.

This mixture of dried tobacco leaves, ash, lime and flavorings, oil, colorings (yellow or indigo), water, and gum. ammoniac is used by inhaling, chewing or placing it under the tongue or in the sulcus of the mouth several times a day.

The nicotine is absorbed through the mucous membrane of the mouth, the ash and slaked lime increase the pH of the oral cavity and aid in rapid absorption of the nicotine.⁷ Dip durations are subjective, most lasting under 30 min.⁸

The users report an intense ‘buzz’ that lasts approximately 10 min.

WHO has warned about having some 28 agents of cancer compounds like as arsenic and nickel, plus radio-elements such as polonium, uranium, beryllium. Despite being called carcinogenic SLT by the World Health Organization, its users finds this product a way to cool their mind off. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 200 pusblished a reach which stated that pH level is too high in Niswar, and it contains unionized nicotine and carcinogenic tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs), which impact negatively on oral and general health.

It is available in two forms: Powder and Moist.

Powder or dry form is green in color, imported from Afghanistan. The moist one, colored black/drak brown is what widely used in Pakistan.

The black naswar is made by smashing dried tobacco, wood ash, and lime stone with water for 20 to 25 minutes. After it is prepared, people typically roll it into a little ball that weight around 2-3 gram and hold it for 10 to 20 minutes between their upper lip and gum or lower lip and gum. It takes two to three days to produce around 300kg of Naswar.

It is not an easy manufacturing process. The high pungent smell from tabocao an other materials can cause, vomiting, headaches, nausea, and skin rashes or itching in makers.

As there is a banned on selling and advertising Tabaco and Tabaco related material in Pakistan, Naswar business is in full swing.