Nicotine Pouch Regulation in Europe and Canada 2023-2025

Over the past few years, nicotine pouches have emerged as a popular alternative to traditional tobacco products. These small, discrete pouches contain nicotine, flavorings, and other ingredients, allowing users to consume nicotine without the need for smoking or vaping. However, as the popularity of nicotine pouches has grown, so too have concerns about their potential health risks and appeal to young people. In response, many countries in Europe and Canada have begun to introduce regulations to control the sale, marketing, and use of these products.

The Regualtions in Europe

Currently, there is no EU-wide regulation of nicotine pouches. Instead, each member state has the authority to set its own rules and restrictions. This has led to a patchwork of regulations across the continent, with some countries taking a more permissive approach while others have opted for stricter controls or even outright bans.

Let’s take a closer look at how some European countries are regulating nicotine pouches:

Country	Regulatory Measures	Implementation Time
France	Ban on the sale of nicotine pouches	February 2025
Belgium	Ban on the sale of nicotine pouches	October 2023
Netherlands	Planning to ban the sale of all nicotine pouches, while extending tobacco use and advertising rules to tobacco-free nicotine products	April 2023
Denmark	Heavy taxation on nicotine pouches, ban on “seductive” flavors other than tobacco and menthol, Health Ministry authorized to limit nicotine concentration	–
Finland	Categorized nicotine pouches as tobacco products, banned all flavors except mint and menthol, considering further restrictions on nicotine concentration, health warnings on packaging, and retail licensing	October 2024
Austria	Health Ministry proposed strict advertising rules, health warnings on packaging, and no sales to minors	–
Czech Republic	No sales to minors (under 18), maximum nicotine concentration limited to 10 milligrams per pouch	–
Hungary	Mandatory health warnings, maximum nicotine concentration limited to 17 milligrams for all “nicotine-containing smoking substitutes”	–
Latvia	No sales to minors (under 20)	–
Luxembourg	No sales to minors, taxed, advertising and promotions banned, restrictions on flavors and maximum nicotine concentration under consideration	2024
Poland	Considering a ban on nicotine pouches containing synthetic nicotine	–

Other European countries, such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Poland, have also introduced or are considering various restrictions on nicotine pouches, ranging from age limits and nicotine concentration caps to advertising bans and taxation.

It’s worth noting that while there is no current EU-wide regulation of nicotine pouches, this may change in the near future. In October 2023, it was revealed that the EU was considering a full-scale ban on nicotine pouches as part of the upcoming revision to the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). If implemented, an EU-wide ban could significantly impact the global growth potential of the nicotine pouch market.

The Regulations in Canada

In Canada, the regulatory landscape for nicotine pouches is also evolving. Currently, nicotine pouches are regulated as “Natural and Non-prescription Health Products” (NHPs), which means they can be sold as smoking cessation aids without a prescription. However, this classification has come under scrutiny as concerns have grown about the potential for these products to appeal to youth and non-smokers.

Here’s a timeline of recent developments in Canada:

February 2024: British Columbia became the first province to restrict the sale of flavored nicotine pouches to pharmacies, requiring them to be placed behind the counter. Purchasers must request the product from a pharmacist but do not need a prescription.
March 2024: Health Canada issued a statement on the growing popularity and recreational use of nicotine pouches, warning companies that misleading consumers about the purpose of these products or marketing them toward youth and non-smokers would face consequences. The ministry also announced plans to pursue legislative and regulatory mechanisms to address youth access and appeal, including restrictions on advertising, flavors, and place of sale.
August 2024: Health Canada introduced new measures for NHPs through a Ministerial Order, specifically targeting nicotine pouches. The order required nicotine pouches to be sold only by pharmacists or under their supervision, prohibited flavors other than mint or menthol, banned advertising or promotion that could appeal to minors, and mandated a front-of-package nicotine addiction warning.
December 2023: Canada’s health minister vowed to close the “loophole” on flavored nicotine pouches, expressing concern about the tobacco industry’s intentions. This followed the controversial approval of ZONNIC, a nicotine pouch product marketed as a smoking cessation aid by Imperial Tobacco Canada.

As in Europe, the regulatory landscape for nicotine pouches in Canada is still evolving. While some provinces, like British Columbia and Quebec, have already restricted sales to pharmacies, it’s likely that other provinces and the federal government will follow suit with further restrictions on the distribution and marketing of these products.

The Public Health Debate

At the heart of the regulatory debate surrounding nicotine pouches are fundamental questions about their impact on public health. On one side, proponents argue that nicotine pouches offer a less harmful alternative to smoking and can help adult smokers quit. They point to the reduced risk profile of nicotine pouches compared to combustible cigarettes, which expose users to thousands of harmful chemicals in addition to nicotine.

However, critics argue that the long-term health effects of nicotine pouches are still unknown and that these products could serve as a gateway to nicotine addiction, particularly for young people. They point to the wide range of flavors and the discrete nature of nicotine pouches as factors that could make them appealing to youth and non-smokers.

Public health advocates have also raised concerns about the tobacco industry’s involvement in the nicotine pouch market. Many of the leading nicotine pouch brands, such as ZONNIC, Velo, and ZYN, are owned by tobacco companies, leading some to question whether the industry is genuinely interested in harm reduction or simply seeking to diversify its product portfolio in response to declining smoking rates.

Looking Ahead

As the popularity of nicotine pouches continues to grow, it’s clear that regulators in Europe, Canada, and around the world will continue to grapple with how best to balance the potential benefits and risks of these products. While some countries have opted for outright bans, others are pursuing more nuanced approaches that aim to restrict youth access and limit the appeal of nicotine pouches while still allowing adult smokers to access them as a less harmful alternative.

In the coming years, it will be critical for policymakers to base their decisions on the best available scientific evidence about the health impacts of nicotine pouches. This will require ongoing research to better understand the long-term effects of these products, as well as their potential role in smoking cessation and harm reduction.

At the same time, regulators will need to remain vigilant about the tobacco industry’s involvement in the nicotine pouch market and take steps to ensure that these products are not marketed or sold in ways that appeal to youth or non-smokers.

Ultimately, the future of nicotine pouch regulation will depend on finding a balance between protecting public health, particularly the health of young people, and providing adult smokers with access to less harmful alternatives. While the path forward may not always be clear, it’s a challenge that regulators in Europe, Canada, and around the world will need to navigate in the years to come.

Author
Recent Posts

Matthew Ma

Marketing at Ecigator

With over a decade of experience in the e-cigarette industry, Matthew Ma is a seasoned expert in both the manufacturing and usage aspects of vaping products. His extensive background has provided him with a deep understanding of the intricacies and evolving dynamics of e-cigarettes.