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What is Naswar and Why Pashtoon Consume Naswar too much?

 

It is said that literature is the mirror of society but in modern times, cinema has taken the place of literature and cinema has become the mirror of society. However, cinema could not be the right mirror of society because cinema makers need to maintain their financial interest and in doing so they compromise the actual image of mirror and show misinterpreted facts.

When we watch cinema of our country we can detect the mistakes in cinema when it is about our society but when we watch the cinema of another country we generally assume that they are showing the right facts about their society.

Recently, I watched a very popular series of Pakistan “Suno Chanda” which is a rom-com family drama and available on YouTube. It was recommended by YouTube, friends, and “khuda aur Muhabbat’s” comment section. I enjoyed it a lot and learned many things about Pakistan; for example- its geography, states, their languages, and culture including the introduction of “naswar”. 

Drama shows that naswar is the main business of peshawar’s pathans. And it is highly consumed by pakhto (Pashto) people. Peshawar is near to Afghanistan, therefore this area is influenced by Afghan Culture and people talk in pakhton (Pashto). The introduction of naswar in the drama forced me to research on this topic. 

 Poster of "Suno Chanda" Season 1

WHAT IS NASWAR? AND HOW IT IS CONSUMED?

Naswar is a smokeless tobacco (ST) usually containing powdered tobacco, slaked lime and indigo. Naswar is made from fresh tobacco leaves, calcium oxide and wood ash.

It is used by sniffing (nasally) or ‘dipping’ (placing a pinch under the tongue or in the cheek where it is stored).

It is made by Pouring water into a cement-lined cavity to which lime is added, followed by air-curred, sun-dried, powdered tobacco. Indigo is added as a colouring material. The ingredients are then thoroughly pounded and mixed with a heavy wooden mallet. 

A person with a packet of Naswar
 Naswar use is prevalent in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and a few Soviet Republics. (countries near to Afghanistan and Pakistan- Kazakhistan, Kirgistan, Turkmanistan and also Russia)

In Afghanistan, naswar is taken in the palm of the hand and with a short, quick jerk on the lower lip, it is placed on the floor of the mouth. It is held in this position and sucked from time to time until it becomes bland.

The floor of the mouth is the most frequent location for oral location for oral cancer in Afghanistan. Similar observations have been made in Iran and the soviet Republics where naswar is used. [1]

HISTORY OF NASWAR

It is widely used by Pakhtoon Community in K-P (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) province of Pakistan. Due to wide consumption of naswar by Pakhtoon Community, some people consider that naswar was discovered by Pakhtoon people.

Here it is expedient to clarify that “snus” and “naswar” share the same history because both are made from tobacco plants, therefore, some people consider naswar same to snus. But snus and naswar are different types of smokeless tobacco.

Snus
The history of naswar goes back when Europeans first came into contact with the tobacco plant when Christopher Columbus reached the island of Haiti in the West Indies in October 1492. And it was introduced into Western Europe by a Spanish monk named Ramon Pane who came into contact with tobacco when he accompanied Columbus on the second journey (1493-1496) of America. He saw native priests inhale a powder into their noses through fork-like tube. 

A Sketch of Jean Nicot

In 1561, Jean Nicot, a French Ambassador in Lisbon (capitol of Portugal) and whose name was used by Linne for the Latin name given to the tobacco plant, Nicotiana Tabacum, who worked at the court of King Henry II of France, came into contact with the tobacco plant, which was grown in the backyard of Lisbon, he took some tobacco plant to Paris.

When queen of Henry II, Catherine de’ Medici was suffering from Migraine, Nicot recommended it to the queen the crushed leaves of tobacco as a remedy for Migraine. This remedy cured the headache of queen, when she became regular user, it became a fashion among the court and upper-class citizens of France, especially among females, as it was deemed more socially acceptable than other forms of tobacco.

Jean Nicot presenting tobacco leaves to Queen
  Consequently, its use became frequent in South Asia and middle Asia.

WHAT ACTIONS COUNTRIES TOOK TO CONTROL THE CONSUMPTION OF NASWAR?

According to official statistics, more than 70 percent of the people in K-P are in the habit of chewing naswar. According to the Pakistan Tobacco Board, there is a huge market for naswar in the province estimated at around Rs 6 billion annually.[2]

A huge number of Pashtuns in or outside Pakistan use naswar as addiction and those living in Gulf countries for job, carry naswar from Pakistan or sometimes, prepare it abroad.

Besides K-P, the tobacco snuff is also used by people in Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh since a huge number of Pashtuns live in other parts of the country with almost 80% of the production is traced back to Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan districts.[3]

Naswar shops are available in all over Pakistan. 

 

A person making naswar
 
However, Pakistan took some steps to control the consumption of naswar. The Pakistan aviation authorities banned carrying of naswar, in all domestic and international flights. The act has been deemed a punishable offence by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The move came after almost all Middle East countries banned naswar by including it in the list of narcotics.[4]

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government also imposed a blanket ban on smoking and naswar in all universities and colleges of the province. Earlier this year, the sale of cigarettes and naswar to underaged consumers was banned in Mohmand tribal district.[5]

In Russia, The Russian parliament approved an amendment to the Administrative Offense Code to increase the fines for selling naswar (chewing tobacco) and snus. Under the new rules, individuals found selling either product will be fined 15,000 to 20,000 rubles (approx. $200 to $280) with higher fines stipulated for officials ($420 to $700) and companies ($1,400 to $2100). Those fines will be doubled in cases where those tobacco products are sold to children. The previous maximum fine was 5,000 rubles ($70).[6]

A person selling naswar packet

Turkmenistan also banned naswar in 2008. However, other countries don’t have strict ban on naswar.

Naswar is known as the drug of the poor. It is less expensive than other drugs like cigarettes, paan etc. Medical experts are of the view that the diseases caused by naswar are more fatal than those caused by smoking. The health department in Pakistan has been engaged in a campaign against smoking through the print and electronic media, but has failed to run a similar campaign against the use of naswar.

Pakistani don’t proud to the use of naswar as the habit in their country. And it is criticized by them especially by new generation of Pakistan. It can be seen by the fact that when famous Pakistani Cricketer Shahid Afridi, caught on camera while chewing naswar, it was condemned by people too much. 

Shahid Afridi chewing naswar and Pakistani tweets on it
 

So, I learned about naswar from the series "suno chanda". if you have also watched the series, let me know in the comments what you have learned from that series.

 

 

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