According to a report by the BBC on February 5th, the recent increase in the sale of illegally high-concentration nicotine pouches in the UK has sparked widespread concern.
According to statistics, the trading standards departments in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Dorset conducted over 1500 seizures in 2024. Among them, over 900 illegal nicotine pouches were seized in Oxfordshire, leading to multiple criminal investigations. In Dorset, officials conducted 844 seizures, while Windsor and Maidenhead had 21 seizures.
As these products are relatively new, there are currently no specific regulations governing their advertising, potency, or age restrictions. Instead, they fall under the General Product Safety Directive, which means that products must clearly label safety guidelines.
Most nicotine pouches contain between 6 to 20 milligrams of nicotine, but some products contain 50 milligrams. Some illegal nicotine pouches claim to contain as much as 150 milligrams of nicotine.
The UK government has announced that new legislation will prevent the promotion of nicotine products to children and has allocated £30 million for enforcement. Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and British American Tobacco (BAT) have stated that their brands such as Nordic Spirit and Velo nicotine pouches are only intended for those aged 18 and above, and they welcome stricter regulations.
The UK Department of Health and Social Security stated: "Snuff is harmful and illegal to sell in the UK. Our Tobacco and E-cigarette Act will put us on the path to a smoke-free UK and prevent the promotion of e-cigarettes and nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, to children.
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