Press release notes India’s quit success rate remains below 5% among 267 million tobacco users, highlighting urgent need for better cessation tools.
Experts at Respire‑2026 urged the Drug Technical Advisory Board to keep 2 mg and 4 mg nicotine replacement therapies available over‑the‑counter.
Global evidence shows 2 mg/4 mg NRT can boost quit success by 50‑70% versus unassisted attempts, and WHO lists them as essential medicines.
The Economic Advisory Council report links tobacco use to economic burden on low‑income households, urging scalable, evidence‑based cessation interventions.