UK “Smokefree Generation” Law to Include Nicotine Pouches
Scottish minister confirms “snus-style” nicotine pouches will be part of UK’s “smokefree generation” tobacco ban amid youth access concerns.
Nicotine pouches, sometimes incorrectly referred to as “snus,” will be covered under the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill aimed at creating a “smokefree generation,” Scottish Public Health Minister Jenni Minto has confirmed. This clarification comes amid concerns raised by MSPs after free samples of these oral nicotine products were distributed at Edinburgh’s Waverley train station.
During a Holyrood Health Committee discussion on the bill – which proposes banning tobacco sales to anyone born after January 1, 2009 – Conservative Dr. Sandesh Gulhane questioned if these pouches were included. Minister Minto affirmed the bill aims to bring “novel products” like heated tobacco and these nicotine pouches under legislative control to reduce their availability, especially to young people.
Public health advisor Professor Linda Bauld clarified that true snus (a tobacco product) is already illegal in the UK, but the term is now often applied to tobacco-free nicotine pouches. She stated the new legislation would cover the free distribution of such pouches. While acknowledging they are “significantly less harmful than smoking” and could be cessation aids, she noted concerns about gum health and their addictive nature, stressing the need to tackle marketing to youth.
Vaping retailers supported responsible regulation to protect youth while ensuring adult smokers can access harm reduction tools, emphasizing nicotine pouches are tobacco-free and reduced-risk compared to smoking.
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