Smokeless tobacco use is prevalent among South Asian immigrants, particularly in the forms of gutka and tambaku paan. In this paper, we examined (a) gutka and tambaku paan initiation and use patterns among South Asian immigrants, and (b) perceptions related to quitting and tobacco control. Six focus groups were conducted with 39 South Asian adult gutka/tambaku paan users, in three different South Asian languages (Gujarati, Bengali, and Urdu). Participants reported easy availability of gutka and tambaku paan in neighborhood stores, and noted several factors that promoted initiation (including social networks, perceived benefits, and curiosity). Due to awareness of low social acceptance of gutka and tambaku paan in the US, some participants discussed changing patterns of use following immigration. Finally, participants proposed roles of various agencies (e.g., doctors’/dentists’ role, government-led initiatives) for tobacco control in South Asian immigrant communities. This research provides implications for improving tobacco control efforts in the United States, particularly for South Asian immigrants.

The Open Society Foundations, the Islamic Development Bank, and the governments of Japan, South Korea, Mali, Senegal, and Uganda.

This study provides encouraging results about the potential impact of an easy-to-deliver, easily scalable workplace intervention with a large, vulnerable population.