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English⧼Colon⧽ Nasvay is typically a moist green or dark powder or pellet placed under the lip or in the cheek to deliver nicotine via the oral mucosa. It is usually made by mixing sun- or air-cured tobacco with an alkaline substance—commonly slaked lime or plant ash—to increase pH and enhance nicotine absorption. Other additives may include water, oil or fat (e.g., sesame or cottonseed oil), menthol, cardamom, or even dyes like indigo. However, due to informal and unregulated production, ingredients vary widely, and in some cases, harmful substances like chicken manure or camel dung have been reported as alkali sources, introducing biological and chemical contaminants.

Nasvay is extremely cheap—often just a few cents for a packet of 20–30 doses—and widely sold in bazaars and by street vendors. Its informal production contributes to its accessibility but also presents serious health concerns due to lack of quality control.

Toxicologically, nasvay delivers high levels of free-base nicotine (some samples contain up to 28 mg/g), making it highly addictive. It also contains elevated levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (NNN, NNK), heavy metals (cadmium, lead, arsenic), and in some samples, aflatoxins due to poor storage. Health risks include increased incidence of oral and esophageal cancers, leukoplakia, periodontal disease, cardiovascular complications, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. While it avoids the combustion-related harms of smoking, nasvay may pose higher risks for oral cancers, especially compared to regulated smokeless products like Swedish snus.