As it is revealed that the United Kingdom intends to tighten regulations on oral nicotine pouches under its new tobacco control legislation, harm reduction experts are sounding the alarm: a misguided policy may be undermining one of the most promising alternatives to smoking.
Earlier this week, a Scottish Minister confirmed that nicotine pouches (NPs) will be subject to a UK-wide crackdown on tobacco, with the UK government set to include the oral pouches in its Tobacco and Vapes Bill. This follows an incident in which free nicotine pouch samples were distributed at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station.
Meanwhile all over the world, nicotine pouches are being embraced by millions who are walking away from smoking, and even vaping, entirely. According to new reports from TobaccoIntelligence—US: The Nicotine Pouch Market, March 2025 and US and The Nicotine Pouch Market – Consumer Survey Report, March 2025—an estimated 8.5 million U.S. adults are now using these smokeless, vapour-free products. That’s up from just 1 million in 2020, a staggering growth trajectory largely driven by health-conscious consumers seeking a safer alternative to cigarettes.
Perhaps most critically, the survey shows that a rising number of users are turning exclusively to nicotine pouches—abandoning tobacco use for a product which is significantly less harmful. In fact, nearly 80% of these pouches sold in the US fall into the “light” nicotine category, reinforcing their appeal to those aiming to taper nicotine dependence without inhaling smoke or vapour.
Last January, the FDA approved 20 nicotine pouches, which as part of the approval process would have gone through rigorous scientific review and toxicologic assessments. “This is one of the most striking developments in nicotine use in the United States,” said Barnaby Page, editorial director at TobaccoIntelligence. “We’ve witnessed a product go from niche to mainstream in under five years.”
Crackdown or setback?
Yet, while the U.S. embraces this smokeless innovation as a meaningful harm reduction tool, the UK appears to be heading in the opposite direction, raising serious concerns. Tobacco harm reduction experts highlight that nicotine pouches are not traditional “snus”—a tobacco product legal in Sweden but banned in the UK. Modern pouches contain no tobacco, only nicotine, and are used by placing them under the lip to deliver nicotine through the gum. Crucially, they do this without combustion and smoke – elements known to contribute most heavily to tobacco-related illness and death.
Despite this, UK health officials have adopted a cautious stance, warning that these products are addictive and may carry long-term risks. Public Health Minister Jenni Minto told the Scottish Health Committee that the legislation would help address these “novel” products, which she claimed pose risks not just to youth but also to adult users.
During the same session, Professor Linda Bauld, a senior health advisor, conceded that nicotine pouches are “probably much less harmful than cigarettes.” However, she expressed concern about their growing use and noted that gum health risks and addictiveness were still under study. Bauld also clarified that the term “snus” is often misapplied to these tobacco-free products, further muddying public understanding.
Calling for a more balanced, evidence-based approach
Tomas Hammargren, Chief Risk Reduction Officer at KLAR—a company specializing in bioceramic nicotine pouches—has warned that lumping nicotine pouches in with traditional tobacco products would be a grave policy error. “We absolutely support youth protection and the fight against nicotine addiction,” he said. “But policymakers must understand that not all nicotine products carry the same risk.”
Hammargren emphasized that nicotine pouches could play a pivotal role in helping adult smokers transition away from far more dangerous combustible tobacco. “If we’re serious about public health, we must offer alternatives that actually work,” he said. “Nicotine pouches are smoke-free, odorless, and discreet. For many people, that makes them a viable and appealing option.”
He pointed to Sweden as a case study in harm reduction success. Thanks in part to the widespread availability of oral nicotine products, Sweden’s smoking rate has almost fallen below 5%—the lowest in Europe and a milestone that positions the country as effectively smoke-free. In contrast, smoking rates across the European Union remain four to five times higher.
“Sweden didn’t get there by banning everything,” Hammargren noted. “They achieved that milestone by offering smokers access to lower-risk options. The UK could learn from that.”
Still, even proponents of pouches admit the landscape needs regulation. Concerns over youth-targeted packaging, candy-flavoured options, and high nicotine strengths have been raised repeatedly. Hammargren agrees: “We must keep these products away from young people. That’s non-negotiable. But that doesn’t mean we take them away from the people they were meant to help—adult smokers looking to quit.”
A smokeless revolution the UK might miss
However, the push to classify oral nicotine pouches alongside tobacco in the UK’s upcoming legislation suggests that harm reduction is being overshadowed by moral panic. Critics warn that a one-size-fits-all regulatory model could inadvertently drive smokers back to cigarettes or black-market alternatives—undermining public health objectives in the process.
As more data from countries like Sweden confirms the harm-reduction potential of nicotine pouches, the UK must now choose its path: will it follow the science, or allow unfounded fears to derail one of the most promising tools in the fight against smoking?