According to Belga news on September 27, 2023, Belgium will cease the sale of nicotine pouches starting from October 1. This measure is part of an anti-smoking plan signed by 24 ministers from the Belgian Ministry of Health.
They believe that although nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco, their nicotine content is relatively high. Some pouches contain up to 90 milligrams of nicotine, which is nearly 9 times the nicotine content found in regular cigarettes.
Numerous scientific studies have revealed the potential dangers of nicotine pouches, particularly among young individuals. These pouches contain significant amounts of nicotine, which can lead to addiction and harm the brain.
Wholesalers are restricted from selling nicotine pouches starting from July 1st, until October 1st, in order to clear their inventory. However, retailers are permitted to continue selling them until October 1st.
In May of this year, tobacco giants British American Tobacco (BAT) and PMI (Philip Morris International) lodged a complaint to the Belgium National Commission, seeking the repeal of regulations. These two companies claimed that nicotine pouches are a less harmful alternative to cigarettes.
Belgium's ban on the sale of nicotine pouches is following in the footsteps of other European countries. For instance, the Netherlands has already prohibited the sale of pouches containing more than 0.035 milligrams of nicotine, essentially banning most nicotine pouches since the nicotine content in majority of these products far exceeds this limit. However, in Sweden, nicotine pouches containing tobacco and nicotine replacement therapy patches are still legally sold.
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