Q: A toothpaste by name IPCO is being marketed by a company in Gujarat. This toothpaste contains tobacco. It is being advertised as a solution to stop smoking. I want to ask how this affects the health of a prolonged user?

A:IPCO (Indubhai Patel & Co) Creamy Stuff is not a toothpaste but tobacco in another form claimed to be less harmful than chewing tobacco. Since it is not classified as a medicine, its claims on safety and efficacy have not been verified by any independent authority. One should be extremely cautious in patronizing such untested agents since their long term effects are not known. In any case there are approved drug therapies to help stop smoking such as Zyban.