Gutka
A commercially produced smokeless tobacco causing addiction and cancer.
Gutka is a smokeless tobacco product made from crushed areca nut, tobacco, catechu, paraffin wax, slaked lime, and sweet or savory flavorings. It is produced in the Indian subcontinent and shipped to a few other countries, where it is often promoted as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. Despite this marketing, gutka is highly addictive and a known carcinogen. Its use is linked to head and neck cancer, oral and oropharyngeal cancers, coronary heart disease, and reproductive issues such as stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight.
The substance is a powdery, granular mix that ranges from light brown to white. When placed between the gum and cheek and gently sucked or chewed, it mixes with saliva and turns deep red. Users may experience a buzz more intense than that from chewing tobacco, snuff, or cigarettes. Gutka can also stain teeth and saliva bright red, and the spit leaves stubborn red marks on walls and ground. In some areas, building owners paint murals of gods on walls, hoping chewers will avoid spitting on them.
Gutka is sold in small foil packets or tins, costing between 2 and 10 rupees each. It is widely consumed in northern India, Pakistan, and the Madhesh region of Nepal, as well as in other parts of South Asia and the Pacific. Its sweet or savory flavors make it appealing to women and young people. Ingredients vary by region and may include spices like mustard, turmeric, anise seeds, cardamom, saffron, and cloves. Beyond the main components, gutka can contain thousands of chemicals. Users report feelings of well-being, euphoria, warmth, sweating, salivation, palpitations, heightened alertness, reduced hunger, and increased stamina.
Health risks are severe. There is no safe level of use, and gutka is not a safe substitute for smoking. Globally, smokeless tobacco products like gutka contribute to 650,000 deaths each year, many in Southeast Asia. Chewing gutka exposes the body to 28 cancer-causing chemicals absorbed through the oral cavity. It can cause oral submucous fibrosis, cancers of the esophagus and pancreas, cardiovascular disease, asthma, fatal coronary artery disease, fatal stroke, and non-fatal ischemic heart disease. During pregnancy, nicotine in gutka can affect fetal brain development.
- Type
- Smokeless tobacco preparation
- Region of origin
- Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan)
- Key ingredients
- Crushed areca nut, tobacco, catechu, paraffin wax, slaked lime, sweet or savory flavourings
- Health risks
- Head and neck cancer, oral cancer, coronary heart disease, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight
- Global deaths attributed
- 650,000 deaths per year (all smokeless tobacco products)
- Addiction rank
- Fourth most common addictive product worldwide (as of 2015)
- Typical cost
- 2 to 10 rupees per packet
Lore & Background
Gutka is a powdery, granular, light brownish to white substance that, within moments of chewing, dissolves and turns deep red. It is consumed by placing a pinch between the gum and cheek and gently sucking and chewing, similar to chewing tobacco. Reported to have both stimulant and relaxation effects, it imparts a 'buzz' somewhat more intense than that of tobacco chewing, snuffing and smoking. Gutka turns saliva bright red, and when chewed long and often enough, it stains a user's teeth bright red. Saliva is generally spat onto a wall or at the ground, causing a red stain resistant to the elements; some building owners have painted murals of gods on their walls to discourage spitting.
Reader's Guide
Gutka represents a major public health challenge in South Asia and among diaspora communities. It is widely consumed in Northern India, Pakistan and the Madhesh region of Nepal, and its use is culturally ingrained, often beginning at a young age. Over 25% of India's population use tobacco products including gutka, and India has the largest number of smokeless tobacco users in the world. The poorest populations are greatly affected due to the detrimental health effects and subsequent costs of medical care. Many Indian states have sought to curb its use by taxing sales heavily or by banning it; as of May 2013, nicotine or tobacco laced gutka was banned in 24 states and 3 union territories. However, enforcement is generally lax, and illegal sale continues. Creative advertising by tobacco companies and lack of accessible information leads many users to believe gutka aids digestion or kills germs, despite no scientific evidence supporting such claims. Globally, smokeless tobacco products such as gutka contribute to 650,000 deaths each year, with a significant proportion in Southeast Asia.
Did You Know?
- Gutka is the fourth most common addictive product worldwide as of 2015.
- Using gutka can cause the oxidation of guanine bases in DNA to form 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG).
- In India, gutka is subjected to the same restrictions and warnings as cigarettes.
- Some building owners paint murals of gods on walls to prevent gutka users from spitting red-stained saliva on them.
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