BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Oral Nicotine Pouches (NPs) are one of the fastest-growing products among young adults, being actively marketed by companies through catchy advertisements. Owing to the easy availability and concealed usage, there is a high chance that these could become an addiction very soon. The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence of Nicotine Pouch consumption and its association with the perceived stress of an individual being a reason behind its usage. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted at various universities in Karachi, Pakistan. The study population comprised Undergraduate students aged between 18 and 25. Data were collected through self-administered forms. RESULTS The majority of the participants lied in the 20–21 age group and belonged to a medical field of study. 61.8% of the students were aware of this product, however, only 10.2% were active users of the Oral NPs. Moreover, the PSS scores indicated that females were overall more stressed than males. The mean PSS score was 19.637. CONCLUSION In conclusion, it is the need of the hour to raise awareness for such products as the youth is likely to try Oral NPs while being unaware of the potential harm it could bring with long-term use. Undergraduates must also be given guidance to help them cope with stress, which proves to be a significant risk factor associated with addiction to nicotine-containing products.

Objective: To determine the psychological impact of coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic on college students, and to explore factors influencing their anxiety and depression levels. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2020 to January 2021 at the Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, and comprised medical students of either gender in the first to third year of the academic programme. Data was collected using a pretested online structured questionnaire comprising demographic information, academic problems, daily life difficulties and the 25-item Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS22. Results: Of the 397 students, 72(18.1%) were males and 325(81.9%) were females. The overall mean age of the sample was 19.9+/-1.2 years. Of the total, 221(55.7%) students were found to be anxious and depressed. Factors related to academic difficulties and daily life issues had significant correlation (p<0.05) with anxiety and depression. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the need for some form of mental health support was the most significant (p<0.001) predictor of anxiety and depression, followed by family issues (p<0.001) and social media (p<0.001). Anxiety and depression were also significantly associated with fear of family or friend getting coronavirus disease-2019 (p=0.003), lack of attentiveness to study (p=0.040) and felt anxiety when ordering food online (p=0.019). Conclusion: With better understanding, academic institutions and healthcare policymakers may take measures and mitigate students’ distress during the pandemic. Key Words: Anxiety, Depression, COVID-19 pandemic, College students.