According to The National on February 21st, at Glasgow Central train station in Scotland, the nicotine pouch brand Velo, owned by British American Tobacco, set up a stall to distribute free products to The National staff. Even when informed that the staff did not use nicotine products, they were still easily able to obtain samples. This action has raised concerns from a charity organization leader.
An employee of The National discovered that by providing only their name, email, and birthdate, they could receive a free sample containing 6 milligrams of nicotine per bag.
The stall staff did not provide any warning about the health risks of the product and did not inquire about the user's health conditions that could potentially exacerbate those risks. In the UK, the laws regarding nicotine pouches are relatively lenient, allowing for the legal sale of this product to minors under the age of 18.
The CEO of the Scottish health charity Ash Scotland, Sheila Duffy, expressed shock at the promotion of these entertainment nicotine products in places where children and young people can easily see them. She stated that there is an increasing trend of nicotine addiction among teenagers, so reducing the exposure and availability of nicotine products is crucial.
Ash Scotland welcomes the proposed restrictions on advertising and promotion of nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes in the Tobacco and E-Cigarette Bill by the UK government, emphasizing that the legislation will protect the health of current and future generations of children.
The Minister of Public Health, Jenni Minto, responded to the incident by stating that if the Tobacco and E-cigarette Bill is passed in the UK, it will restrict the free distribution and advertising of these products.
British American Tobacco (BAT) stated that,
We clearly stipulate that tobacco and nicotine products are only for use by adults and should not be used by minors. Through responsible marketing principles and guidelines, Velo's marketing activities comply with all applicable laws. Our guidelines also explicitly state that products are only provided to adult consumers, so if the public is not currently using any nicotine products, free samples are not provided. We have also been actively advocating for regulations that include a minimum sales age. Since the launch of Velo in 2019, we have been promoting industry behavior codes, including restrictions on nicotine pouch packaging design and communication.
A spokesperson for Network Rail, the company responsible for operating Glasgow Central train station in the UK, stated that...
We understand Ash Scotland's concerns about the responsible promotion of products, and we have instructed the staff at the booth not to engage with anyone under the age of 25 while working at the station.
According to reports, nicotine pouches are not regulated under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), but rather fall under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR). This means that the regulations governing the strength and packaging of nicotine pouches are more relaxed.
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