Nicotine as Class A Poison | 20 Aug 2019

Karnataka has amended Poisons (Possessions and Sale) Rules 2015 by notifying nicotine as Class A poison.

The move aims at strengthening the enforcement of the ban on production and sale of electronic cigarettes.

In August 2018, the Union Health Ministry had instructed all the States to put a ban on the sale of e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) under their jurisdiction.
Though Karnataka had banned the sale and production of e-cigarettes in June 2016, but illegal sale and smuggling of nicotine cartridges and e-cigarettes is rampant in the State.

Nicotine is a plant alkaloid that contains nitrogen, which is found in several types of plants, including the tobacco plant and can also be produced synthetically.
Nicotine is both a sedative and a stimulant.
Nicotine is used as a direct substance in e-cigarettes and the content ranges up to 36 mg/mL. Although regular cigarettes too have nicotine, but it ranges between 1.2 to 1.4 mg/mL.
Chewing or snorting tobacco products usually releases more nicotine into the body than smoking.

Nicotine on direct application in humans causes irritation and burning sensation in the mouth and throat, increased salivation, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
It also increases pulse rate and blood pressure.

Classification of Poison

US Department of Transport divides poisons in two classes

Class-A: Highly toxic chemicals which even in very small quantities as gas or vapor in air are dangerous to life such as cyanogen, hydrocyanic acid, nitrogen peroxide, and phosgene.
Class-B: Chemicals other than those included in Class-A and comparatively less toxic but considered dangerous.