The Unlikely Rise of Herbal Cigarettes in India
In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer habits, a curious trend has emerged in India: herbal cigarettes. What began as a niche curiosity during the COVID-19 lockdowns has quietly grown into a market segment attracting attention from both wellness enthusiasts and regulatory authorities. This phenomenon represents a fascinating intersection of ancient ayurvedic practices and modern consumer behavior.
From Tobacco to Herbal: A Smoking Evolution
Over the past decade, India's smoking landscape has witnessed significant transformations. Traditional cigarette prices have soared, with loose mid-priced cigarettes jumping from approximately ₹7 to over ₹20 per stick. As incomes have risen, many smokers have transitioned from purchasing individual cigarettes at paan shops to buying entire packs, while simultaneously, vaping devices have appeared in these shops despite their illegal status in the country.
During this period, various cigarette trends have come and gone—from Korean slim cigarettes like Esse gaining popularity to traditional brands like Gold Flake maintaining their appeal among new generations of smokers. However, the most unexpected development emerged during the 2021 lockdowns: herbal cigarettes claiming to be tobacco-free and ayurvedic began appearing on e-commerce platforms.
The Herbal Cigarette Discovery
Initially dismissed as a passing fad, these herbal smoking mixtures have demonstrated surprising resilience. What started as products fulfilling "that old teenage fantasy of looking cool" has evolved into a market segment that now regularly appears on India's hottest quick-commerce and e-commerce platforms. The persistence of these products prompted journalistic investigation into their origins, claims, and regulatory status.
Research revealed several important insights about this emerging market. First, Ayurveda approaches smoking as a serious medical practice with specific protocols. Second, manufacturers incorporate diverse herbs into their cigarette formulations, ranging from traditional medicinal plants to cannabis-based ingredients. Third, many Indians are turning to these products with genuine intentions of improving their wellbeing through ayurvedic principles.
Market Dynamics and Entrepreneurial Passion
The herbal cigarette market brings together an eclectic mix of entrepreneurs. From third-generation family businesses in Gujarat with decades of experience to innovators attempting to replicate European successes in the Indian market, these manufacturers share a common passion: making wellness more accessible and appealing to contemporary consumers.
This represents a significant shift in how wellness is conceptualized and consumed. While previous generations might not have associated smoking with health improvement, today's market demonstrates that wellness can take unexpected forms. Yet, as investigation revealed, these aren't entirely novel concepts—they often draw from practices documented in ancient ayurvedic texts like the Charaka Samhita, which details elaborate smoking rituals for treating common ailments.
The Regulatory Crossroads
The most critical finding from this investigation concerns regulation. The Ministry of AYUSH has been actively tightening rules governing what can be sold, prescribed, or advocated under the banner of ayurveda. This regulatory scrutiny creates both challenges and opportunities for the herbal cigarette market, potentially determining whether this niche segment remains small or experiences significant growth.
Medical experts consulted during this investigation maintain a clear position: smoking anything, whether herbal or tobacco-based, poses risks to respiratory health. This creates a complex landscape where traditional ayurvedic practices endorsing supervised smoking rituals coexist with modern medical advice cautioning against all forms of smoking.
The story of herbal cigarettes in India ultimately reveals how ancient practices can find new expressions in contemporary markets, how wellness trends can take unexpected forms, and how regulatory frameworks must evolve to address emerging consumer products that straddle traditional medicine and modern commerce.
