A significant new survey has revealed that one in eight teenagers in Britain have tried nicotine pouches, raising urgent concerns about youth addiction and prompting a government crackdown.
Survey Uncovers Widespread Teen Use
The poll, conducted by Deltapoll for the Future Health consultancy, surveyed 500 young people aged 14 to 17 across England, Scotland, and Wales. It found that 13% have used a nicotine pouch, with nearly a third of those users (30%) consuming them at least once a week.
These small sachets, often flavoured and resembling mini-teabags, are placed under the lip where they release nicotine. Also known as snus, they are currently sold without age restrictions, with most teens acquiring them from friends or shops.
Government Plans Legislative Ban
In response to the findings, ministers are pushing forward with the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will outlaw the sale of nicotine pouches to anyone under 18. The legislation also aims to change packaging, limit flavours, and cap nicotine content to reduce their appeal to children.
The survey indicated strong public support for these measures, with seven in 10 respondents backing the government's planned action. Furthermore, 63% of teens want it made illegal for under-18s to buy them, and 59% support health warnings on the products.
Health Experts Sound the Alarm
While the pouches do not carry the same cancer risk as smoking, health professionals are alarmed by their potential to create nicotine addiction and cause oral health issues. These can include gum lesions, receding gums, dry mouth, and unusual jaw sensations.
Steve Brine, a former public health minister, warned in a report foreword: "The tobacco industry is constantly looking for the next business opportunity with which to addict a new generation to nicotine." He highlighted that the products are being heavily marketed to young people via shop displays, social media, and music festival partnerships.
Separate research led by Dr Harry Tattan-Birch of University College London, published in the Lancet Public Health, found a dramatic rise in nicotine use driven by Generation Z. The proportion of 16-24 year olds using such products jumped from 0.7% in 2022 to 4% this year.
International experts writing in the European Heart Journal this week stated unequivocally that "nicotine is toxic to the heart and blood vessels" regardless of how it is consumed.
Industry Response and Regulatory Future
Brands like Velo, Nordic Spirit, and Zyn are experiencing rapid sales growth. A spokesperson for Zyn, made by Philip Morris International, pointed out that 96% of teenagers have never tried the pouches, according to Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).
However, a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson confirmed the impending regulatory shift: "Right now, nicotine pouches are far less regulated than nicotine vapes. This will change. The Tobacco and Vapes bill will make it illegal to sell nicotine pouches... to anyone aged under 18."
The move aims to protect a new generation from the grips of nicotine addiction, balancing the potential role of such products in helping adult smokers quit against the clear risk they pose to young people's health.
