Nitrosoamines and narcotic drugs in smokeless tobacco products sold on Kampala City markets

Abstract

The consumption of smokeless tobacco products in Uganda has increased due to unregulated sale and easy of accessibility by the youth. It is usually characteristic of consumers of smokeless Tobacco products to behave aggressively leading to suspicion of the influence of drugs in smokeless Tobacco products. This study aimed at determining the levels and chemical constituents of smokeless tobaccos (Nicotine and Tobacco specific Nitrosamines) and the suspected presence of narcotic drugs, in the smokeless tobacco products sold around and within Kampala. The narcotics were determined using immune-assay techniques coupled with GCMS in the quantitation and confirmation of the TSNAs and nicotine compounds. The nicotine content ranged from 2.4 mg g-1 to 19.8 mg g-1 with an average of 9.1 mg g-1. The tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) ranged from 0.07 to 38.91 µg g-1. For Nitrosonornicotine (NNN), 0.04 to 8.56 µg g-1 for Nitrosoanatabine (NAT), 0.01 to 2.36 µg g-1 for Nitrosoanabasine (NAB) and 0.04 to 4.87 µg g-1 for 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The levels of TSNAs were high with some of the samples exceeding the regulation limits of 2 µg g-1 for NNN + NNK, Total TSNAs 5µg g-1 by WHO and Gonthiatek standard. The nitrite content of all samples ranged from 4.51 to 67.µg g-1 with an average of 24.53±0.02 µg g-1. The findings indicated that the specific narcotic drugs Cocaine, marijuana, Heroin and methamphetamines were absent. However, nicotine was found as a major component of smokeless tobacco products sold on Kampala markets. Nicotine is addictive and with reinforcing properties as narcotic drugs.