Anti-smoking advocates in New Zealand are expressing concern over the growing popularity of oral nicotine pouches, which they fear could overshadow progress made in reducing youth vaping rates. These highly addictive pouches, often sold under the brand name ZYN, are placed under the lip and absorbed in the mouth, presenting a new challenge in the fight against nicotine addiction.

Read more

A recent study by the Nordic Welfare Centre, spanning data from 2018 to 2024, has revealed that nearly 33 percent of Icelandic youth are now using nicotine pouches, marking the highest rate among Nordic countries. Despite this alarming trend, smoking rates remain remarkably low in Iceland, with only 6.6 percent of young people reported as smokers in 2023, compared to 12.1 to 19 percent elsewhere.

Read more

The Nebraska Legislature has taken a significant step towards regulating nicotine and “nicotine-like” products by advancing Legislative Bill 9, which proposes a 20% wholesale excise tax on alternative nicotine products. The bill, introduced by State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward, aims to define “alternative nicotine products” and “nicotine analogues” in state law, creating an “umbrella” approach to capture future products without requiring specific legislation for each new product.

Read more

President Andrzej Duda has signed the Act of February 20, 2025, amending the Excise Tax Act, which will impose excise taxes on additional products starting April 1, 2025. The legislation introduces taxation on new categories of excise goods, including refillable electronic cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, multi-functional devices, their components, and nicotine pouches.

Read more

A recent study led by Yale researchers and published in Tobacco Control in November 2024 has shed light on the advertising tactics used by oral nicotine product manufacturers to appeal to retailers. The study, which analyzed business-to-business advertisements from January 2016 to August 2022, found that manufacturers heavily promoted the profitability, convenience, and availability of non-tobacco flavors in their products.

Read more

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated Import Alert 98-06 for the year 2025. This update emphasizes that all new tobacco products, particularly snus and nicotine pouches, that have not undergone the required premarket review process may be detained without physical examination upon entry into the United States.

Read more

The world of tobacco, vaping, and next-generation nicotine products in the UK is undergoing significant changes, driven by shifting consumer preferences, regulatory developments, and evolving market trends. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down six key aspects of this dynamic landscape, helping you understand the forces shaping the industry and what they mean for retailers, consumers, and public health.

Read more

Dutch Health Minister Vincent Karremans has strongly criticized the European Commission’s decision to delay legislation related to new nicotine products, labeling it as “harmful” in a letter addressed to EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. The letter, seen by Euractiv, comes in response to the Commission’s exclusion of tobacco-related legislation from its 2025 work program.

Read more

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.

Read more

France has become the latest European country to ban the sale of nicotine pouches, joining a growing list of nations taking action to curb the use of these tobacco-free products. Health experts have raised concerns about the potential risks associated with nicotine pouches, including medical issues, addiction, and their increasing popularity among young people.

Read more