India’s wellness industry, a rapidly expanding sector projected to reach a valuation exceeding $20 billion by 2025, has seen the resurgence of ancient Ayurvedic practices in modern forms. Among these, herbal cigarettes, a contemporary interpretation of the traditional ‘dhumapana,’ have carved out a curious niche. Despite initial enthusiasm, bolstered by regulatory frameworks from the Ministry of AYUSH and a growing acceptance of certain cannabis derivatives, the market for these non-tobacco inhalables appears to have lost some of its post-pandemic momentum. The journey of these products, transitioning from purported smoking cessation aids to lifestyle accessories, reflects a broader interplay of cultural heritage, consumer skepticism, entrepreneurial drive, and evolving regulatory landscapes.
The concept of ‘dhumapana,’ or medicated smoke inhalation, is deeply rooted in Ayurveda, India’s ancient system of medicine. Texts like the Charaka Samhita meticulously detail its application for maintaining respiratory health, alleviating symptoms ranging from coughs and colds to headaches, and even as a preventative measure. These classical treatises specify precise herbal formulations, methods of inhalation (from nose, exhaling through mouth), and even the mental state of the individual. This historical context provided the foundational principle for a new wave of entrepreneurs seeking to introduce herbal cigarettes as a "natural" alternative in a market saturated with conventional tobacco products. The early 2010s, characterized by the meteoric rise of indigenous wellness brands like Patanjali Ayurved, created fertile ground for such ventures, positioning ‘naturals’ and Ayurvedic solutions as increasingly attractive to a health-conscious populace.
One of the pioneering brands in this nascent category was Organic Smokes. Co-founder Piyush Chhabra, leveraging his family’s experience in Ayurvedic product distribution, conceived the idea shortly after college. Recognizing a gap in the market, Chhabra embarked on developing herbal cigarettes, initially experimenting with ingredients like green tea. The challenge, he recalls, was not just in product development but in navigating an entirely undefined regulatory space. The Ministry of AYUSH, established in November 2014, was still in its nascent stages, and clear licensing guidelines for novel Ayurvedic formulations, especially those intended for inhalation, were non-existent. It wasn’t until 2018 that the Ministry released its "General Guidelines For Drug Development of Ayurvedic Formulations," providing a much-needed framework for classification, ingredient specification, and testing. Organic Smokes experienced an initial surge, reportedly achieving ₹1 lakh in sales on a single day upon launch. However, scaling proved difficult. While the company’s parent, Mea Ame Pvt. Ltd., reported revenues of just over ₹3 crore in fiscal year 2024 with a modest profit of ₹7 lakh, this figure underscores the significant hurdles in establishing a new product category against entrenched habits and perceptions. The brand eventually shifted its sales strategy, prioritizing its direct-to-consumer website over high-commission e-commerce platforms.
Other players, some with a longer history, also entered or re-focused on the domestic herbal cigarette market. Ahmedabad-based Maans Products India, for instance, claims to have introduced the world’s first herbal cigarette, Nirdosh, as early as 1975. Initially focused on export markets, Nirdosh now offers a range of 40 products, including herbal cigarettes, cigars, and beedis, available across its own digital storefront and specialized Ayurvedic e-retailers. The company, like Organic Smokes, positions its offerings as tobacco- and nicotine-free alternatives for smokers. However, consumer testimonials reveal a significant disconnect. Chronic smokers, like Mumbai-based film writer Abhishek, who consumed 20-40 cigarettes daily, found herbal cigarettes "useless" and "disgusting," describing their taste as unpalatable. Former corporate lawyer Ashwin, 34, echoed this sentiment, quickly discarding a "fancy looking wooden box" of herbal cigarettes due to their unpleasant taste. Such feedback highlights a fundamental challenge: herbal cigarettes, despite their "natural" appeal, often fail to satisfy the deep-seated physiological and psychological cravings associated with nicotine addiction, suggesting their primary appeal may lie elsewhere.
Indeed, a significant pivot for the herbal cigarette market has been its integration with cannabis-based products. Cannabis, in its various forms like bhang, ganja, and charas, is recognized in traditional Indian medicine systems (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani). This recognition has opened avenues for manufacturers to incorporate cannabis derivatives, leading to the emergence of products aimed at pain relief, anxiety reduction, or even a mild recreational effect, rather than just smoking cessation. According to Srijan Sharma, co-founder of specialized e-commerce platform ItsHemp, cannabis-infused herbal cigarettes now constitute 20-30% of the total herbal cigarette market, albeit available strictly on prescription from an Ayurvedic practitioner. Delhi-based The Trost, founded by Harshal Goyal, exemplifies this trend. Launched in 2020 after Goyal’s return from a similar venture in Switzerland, The Trost offers non-psychoactive cannabis cigarettes designed to calm users and serve as a lifestyle product, replacing traditional tobacco smoke breaks. However, the regulatory path for such products is labyrinthine. The Trost spent two years securing necessary licenses. Its parent firm reported annual revenue of nearly ₹66 lakh in FY24, with losses exceeding ₹24 lakh, indicating the high investment and slow returns in a tightly controlled sector. The brand has since begun opening physical retail stores, starting with Bengaluru, to enhance accessibility within regulatory constraints.
The regulatory environment for cannabis-based Ayurvedic products is becoming increasingly stringent. Last year, the Ministry of AYUSH established an inter-ministerial committee to curb misuse. In July 2025, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine issued an advisory cautioning practitioners against promoting themselves as cannabis specialists. A month later, another advisory was sent to states and union territories, urging a crackdown on "misleading" advertisements for Ayurvedic products containing cannabis. Manufacturers also face the annual renewal of excise department licenses to procure cannabis, with strict limits on quantities and detailed reporting requirements that vary by state. Furthermore, recent ministerial intentions suggest a shift towards central government licensing for cannabis-based Ayurvedic formulations, moving away from state-level approvals. This centralization, coupled with the mandatory and costly clinical trials (potentially ₹10 lakh per Stock Keeping Unit) for formulations deviating from ancient texts, poses a significant barrier for startups. Industry experts predict that these stricter regulations could consolidate the market, allowing only a handful of well-resourced brands to survive, mirroring the highly concentrated conventional tobacco industry.
Beyond regulatory complexities, the fundamental health debate surrounding inhaled products persists. While traditional Ayurvedic texts advocate ‘dhumapana,’ modern medical science raises significant concerns. Dr. Amit Kumar Mandal, a senior director in pulmonology and critical care, emphasizes that any combustion, regardless of the material, generates toxic byproducts such as tar, carbon monoxide, irritants, and particulate matter. These substances, similar to those found in nicotine cigarettes, can inflict comparable damage to the respiratory tract. The perceived safety of herbal cigarettes, particularly among younger demographics, might stem from the inherent lag between exposure and the manifestation of adverse health effects, similar to conventional tobacco. The long-term health implications of regular herbal smoke inhalation remain largely unstudied in a modern clinical context, leaving a critical gap in scientific understanding.
In response to these challenges, brands are exploring alternative strategies. Some are leveraging quick-commerce platforms to distribute smoking blends and rolling papers, catering to consumers who might use them as mixers. Organic Smokes has also ventured into "medical atomisers," a type of vape, claiming them as medical devices exempt from India’s 2019 ban on e-cigarettes due to their registration under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. However, this innovative approach also faces scrutiny, as evidenced by a customs raid on their manufacturing facility. Looming changes in tobacco taxation, with a 40% Goods and Services Tax alongside excise duties and cess effective February 1, could theoretically create a pricing advantage for herbal alternatives. However, the deep-rooted addiction to nicotine and the current perception of herbal options as ineffective or unpalatable suggest that a simple price differential may not be sufficient to trigger a mass migration.
Ultimately, India’s herbal cigarette market is at a crossroads. While it taps into a rich Ayurvedic heritage and a burgeoning wellness trend, its growth is constrained by consumer skepticism regarding efficacy for quitting tobacco, the unpleasant sensory experience, a complex and tightening regulatory environment for cannabis, and the overarching public health debate surrounding inhaled products. The industry, estimated at a modest ₹100-200 crore within India’s multi-billion-dollar tobacco and wellness sectors, faces the formidable task of proving its value proposition, not just as a cultural artifact or a niche lifestyle product, but as a genuinely beneficial or at least harmless alternative. Without robust scientific validation of health claims and a clear, stable regulatory pathway, the dream of Ayurvedic inhalables becoming a significant growth driver for the wellness industry may remain largely unfulfilled, relegated to a specialized segment rather than a mainstream phenomenon.
