According to RP-online on February 21st, the tobacco industry in Germany is actively pushing for the legalization of nicotine pouches as a lower-risk alternative to cigarettes.
Torsten Albig, the Head of External Affairs at Philip Morris International's (PMI) German subsidiary, stated that this product is legal in many other EU countries, and the ban in Germany has resulted in the government losing tax revenue and regulatory control over these products. He hopes that the new German government will advance the legal sale of nicotine pouches in stores to help adult smokers transition away from cigarettes.
In Germany, nicotine pouches are not considered tobacco products, but rather classified as food items. As food products are not allowed to contain nicotine, they cannot be sold in stores in Germany. However, consumers can purchase them online from other EU countries such as Sweden.
Albig described the situation as "absurd" and pointed out that many vendors are selling black market products. He acknowledged that these products come with risks, but believes that for smokers, they are an effective alternative for harm reduction.
Aside from Philip Morris International (PMI), other tobacco companies such as Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and British American Tobacco (BAT) are also calling for regulations on nicotine pouch products to be relaxed. Despite this, their demands are facing criticism from health experts and politicians.
Katrin Schaller from the German Cancer Research Center opposes the claims made by these companies, believing that they are just trying to solve the problems that they have caused themselves. She points out that nicotine pouches are not approved smoking cessation products like nicotine gum or patches, and their fashionable appearance primarily attracts young people.
Green Party MP Linda Heitmann has warned that nicotine pouches should not be seen as a commendable action by the tobacco industry for public health, as they have high addictiveness.
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