Parents beware, Kulip is ‘latest craze’ among students in city

In November, the principal of a government-aided school in Velachery caught three boys, aged 13, with ‘Kulip’, a variant of banned tobacco product ‘Hans’. The school, located near Vijaya Nagar in Velachery, mostly has children from the lower income group. Police suspect that some sachets of Kulip have traces of ganja. On confiscating the tobacco, the principal immediately called for the parents, but they did not appear shocked. The parents, mostly daily wagers, claimed that it was normal for their kids to consume tobacco products. After a stern warning, the students were let off. 

“We found that it is easily available in petty shops near the Kallukuttai slum area and sold in packets. With Rs 15, anyone can get a pack of 10 pieces and students, aged between 12 and 16, fall prey to it”, a police official said. Kulip is powdered tobacco wrapped in a white sachet. It is used like ‘dip tea bag’ and consumed by keeping it in between the teeth and tongue. 

When put in the mouth, one first experiences a burning sensation and then slight giddiness which leads to a feeling of energy for half an hour. A police source said that the product was commonly used by most school students across the city. The city police regularly conduct raids to wipe out tobacco and ganja products being sold in shop across the city. 

“Usually, the shop owner is taken to task and prosecuted,” said a senior official with the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau (NIB).  NIB’s ADGP Sunil Kumar said that the onus of controlling and stopping distribution of tobacco products rests with the Health Deaprtment. “The NIB carries out raids and seizes tobacco products, but the Health Officers are responsible for controlling the distribution of tobacco substances in shops,” he said.