In just a few years, the nicotine pouches They have gone from being a virtually unknown product to becoming one of the main focuses of the debate on tobacco control. They are small pouches that are placed in the mouth, they do not give off smoke or odor, they can be used without anyone noticing, and yet they can deliver more nicotine than several conventional cigarettes in a very short time.
This surge has set off alarm bells in Spain and the rest of EuropeWhile some media outlets and harm reduction experts present them as a possible aid to quitting smoking, organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO)Scientific societies and governments warn that these are highly addictive products, with potentially serious and still poorly studied long-term effects.
What are nicotine pouches and how are they used?
The calls nicotine bags or sachets (also known as pouches) are small, oral pouches, similar in size to a small piece of chewing gum, that are placed between the lip and gum. Inside, they contain a powder with nicotine—of synthetic origin or derived from tobacco—mixed with flavorings and other additives that facilitate its absorption through the oral mucosa.
Once in place, They release nicotine gradually for about 20-30 minutes. They do not require combustion, do not generate smoke or vapor and, in practice, allow you to consume nicotine in almost any environment: indoors, at work, in class or on public transport, without leaving a trace of odor and without other people noticing it.
The packaging is usually presented in small, round, flat boxesThey come in bright colors, reminiscent of candy tins or lozenges. This presentation, combined with the variety of sweet and fruity flavors, leads many experts to believe they have a strong appeal to teenagers and young adultseven for those who have never smoked.
Regarding dosage, public health specialists warn that there are products in which Each sachet can equal or exceed the nicotine content of several cigarettes.We are talking about ranges from a few milligrams to very high amounts, capable of rapidly raising blood nicotine levels above those achieved with traditional tobacco, thus increasing its addictive potential.
The Spanish Government's move: limits and new regulations
In Spain, the debate on the nicotine pouches has gained strength as a result of the Project of Royal Decree on the manufacture, presentation and marketing of tobacco and related productsThis text, framed within the strategy of reviewing the Anti-Tobacco Law, proposes limiting the nicotine content of these bags to a maximum of 0,99 mg per unit and, in addition, introducing restrictions on flavorings and other components.
The proposal, which must still going through Congress For debate and approval, it has been met with strong criticism from the Spanish Association of Nicotine Bags (AEBN) and from countries like Sweden, where these types of products have a well-established market. For the sector, that figure of less than 1 mg would effectively represent a covert prohibition, considering that it would leave the bags with no "real" effect for adult consumers who are already dependent on nicotine.
Spain thus aligns itself with a more cautious regulatory trend within the European Union, in which other measures also come into play, such as the possible restriction of attractive flavors and the equating of these products with tobacco products for the purposes of advertising, labeling, and sale. All of this in a context where the country is still grappling with smoking rates around 17% of daily smokers, well above the figures of some European partners.
From a health perspective, it is emphasized that if a nicotine product designed to help people quit smoking were truly to be approved, it should regulated as a medicationwith clinical trials, dose control, prescription and medical follow-up, something that does not happen with the bags available on the market, which are sold as general consumer products.
The WHO urges caution regarding a poorly studied product
La World Health Organization has expressly requested governments to act with Caution regarding nicotine pouches and other emerging productsThe main argument is the lack of solid and independent studies that allow us to assess its effects in the medium and long term, especially in comparison with quitting nicotine completely.
To date, cases have been described of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and acute poisoning related to these products, with notable increases in visits to toxicology and emergency services in some European countries. However, the true impact on cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other chronic problems remains unclear.
The WHO has gone further by claiming the ban on flavors in all tobacco and nicotine productsincluding cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, pouches and hookahs, arguing that presentations with a candy, fruit or sweet flavor are a direct hook to engage the youngestAccording to their view, an entire generation is at risk of being introduced to nicotine through seemingly harmless forms.
This message has resonated with European public health societies, which emphasize that adolescents who start using these devices at least triple their risk of become smokers Later on, a pattern already observed with vapes and which could now be reproduced with oral pouches.
Nicotine: a highly addictive and far from harmless substance
One of the central points of the debate is that, although nicotine pouches eliminate the combustion and smoke —primarily responsible for many of the toxins in tobacco—, the active component remains a drug with high addictive potentialPsychology and toxicology specialists point out that, after heroin and cocaine, nicotine is among the substances that most quickly generate dependence.
On a physical level, nicotine is linked to acute increases in heart rate and blood pressureThis is associated in the long term with hypertension, arrhythmias, and structural changes in the heart. Intense and repeated exposures, such as those that can occur from using multiple bags in succession, increase the burden on the cardiovascular system, even in seemingly healthy young people.
In the oral cavity, the continued presence of the pouch and powder in direct contact with the gum and lip can cause irritation, inflammation, dryness, and minor injuriesSome studies suggest that, over time, these alterations could evolve into more serious dental problems or lesions in the mucosa, the impact of which is still being investigated.
From a neuropsychological point of view, nicotine alters brain function by modulating the dopamine releasea neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward. In the medium and long term, it is related to changes in impulse control, executive function, and moodThese effects are especially worrying when consumption begins in adolescence, a stage in which the brain is still developing.
Young people and new generations: the focus of concern
Many of the warnings from health authorities focus on the potential impact of nicotine pouches on the younger populationTheir discreet use —smoke-free, odorless, and without bulky devices— makes it easy for teenagers and students to consume them without parents, teachers, or caregivers easily detecting it.
Researchers specializing in smoking warn that these types of products can function as gateway to nicotine in boys and girls who have never smoked. The combination of pleasant flavors, eye-catching packaging, and easy accessibility creates a perception of lower risk, which contrasts sharply with the reality of a highly addictive substance.
Furthermore, there are fears that the virus will spread among current smokers. multipurposeContinuing to smoke cigarettes while simultaneously using pouches or vapes to maintain nicotine access in places where they cannot light a cigarette. This dynamic can jeopardize the "window of opportunity" that opens when a person considers reducing or quitting smoking and, at the same time, weaken social denormalization of the act of consuming nicotine in public spaces.
Some recent studies, especially in the UK and Nordic countries, indicate that the use of these bags has increased most sharply precisely among the younger age groupsThis has prompted parliamentary debates on the minimum age for sale, the type of advertising allowed, and controls at retail outlets.
Arguments in favor: harm reduction and the Swedish case
In contrast to the more restrictive stance, there is a current within the scientific and regulatory field that defends the harm reductionFrom this perspective, it is considered that, although the ideal would be to quit nicotine completely, offering combustion-free products such as bags could be a way to help. less harmful alternative to continuing smoking traditional cigarettes.
Those who hold this view often cite as an example the so-called Swedish caseSweden has become the first country in the European Union to reach the threshold of a "smoke-free" country, with just over 5% of its population smoking daily. Oral products such as [unspecified product] have been consumed there for decades. snus brown (which does contain tobacco) and, in recent years, the white nicotine versions without tobacco.
In that context, some studies indicate that the expansion of snus coincided with a sharp drop in smoking ratesWhile cigarette consumption declined sharply, even in this case, studies fail to conclusively prove that it is the snus not alone is responsible for the reduction in smoking; other factors have also played a role very strict control policies, prevention campaigns and long-term cultural changes.
Regarding nicotine pouches themselves, the evidence is even more limited: in Sweden, their use is significant but less than that of snus traditional, and a clear direct relationship between the increase in these pouches and the decrease in smokers has not been established. Even so, for harm reduction advocates, any smoke-free option A strategy to steer adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes deserves to be seriously explored.
The influence of industry and conflicts of interest
The debate surrounding nicotine pouches isn't confined to the scientific arena. Around a quarter of the studies that most strongly support these strategies... harm reduction related to nicotine products It has some type of funding or link with the tobacco, pharmaceutical or electronic cigarette industry.
This web of economic interests complicates the discussion: it is common to find experts with declared conflicts of interest While participating in research, some researchers have also founded nicotine pouch companies or collaborate with manufacturers through consulting. This reality has led some researchers to explicitly forgo industry funding to maintain greater independence in their work.
The expansion of bag brands, especially in markets such as the United States and parts of EuropeThis has been accompanied by sophisticated communication campaigns, sports sponsorships, and partnerships with major teams, all aimed at presenting these products as part of a "smoke-free" future. All of this has forced regulatory agencies and the scientific community to scrutinize marketing messages and separate data-driven arguments from those based on commercial strategies.
For European and Spanish regulators, this context reinforces the idea that any eventual harm reduction must be based on independent and transparent evidenceand not in messages that may minimize risks or trivialize nicotine consumption under the umbrella of innovation.
Regulatory landscape in Europe: prohibitions, limits and legal loopholes
The regulatory map of the Nicotine pouches in Europe The situation is very uneven and is undergoing a major transformation. While some countries have opted to outright ban their sale, others have decided to treat them the same as tobacco for control purposes, and there are countries, like Spain, where the regulatory process is still in the political and legislative debate phase.
Among the most restrictive examples are France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and GermanyIn France, following a worrying increase in poisonings linked to the bagsEspecially for minors between the ages of 12 and 17, a law was passed that bans the manufacture, import, distribution and sale of non-pharmaceutical oral nicotine products, with an entry into force date set for 2026.
The Netherlands have followed a similar path, first marking maximum nicotine limits per pouch and subsequently prohibiting their retail sale altogether. In Belgium, these products have been banned since 2023, although they continue to circulate in informal or illegal channelsThis poses an additional challenge for health authorities.
In Germany, the approach has been more fragmented: nicotine pouches are considered as new food productsThis has led to prohibitions and restrictions that vary among the different federal states. The result is a complex scenario, with disparate regional regulations that hinder uniform control across the country.
Outside the European Union, other countries are also making progress in regulation. In the United KingdomFor example, bags were not initially subject to specific regulations and could even be sold to minors under 18. However, Parliament is debating a bill that will prohibit them. Sales to minors will be limited, flavors and concentrations will be restricted and will set conditions on packaging, points of sale and advertising, integrating these products into a broader tobacco control strategy.
Spain facing the challenge of tobacco and nicotine
In the Spanish case, the media attention that the nicotine pouches This risks obscuring a broader problem: the country has not yet fully implemented all the measures recommended by the WHO under the MPOWER package, considered the international standard for reducing smoking.
In particular, Spain has yet to decisively implement the strategy that has proven most effective in other countries: raise the price of tobacco through special taxesWhile in some European countries a pack of cigarettes can cost around 20 euros, in Spain it still costs around 6 euros, which facilitates consumption, especially among groups with fewer economic resources.
Other measures with strong evidence, such as the generic packaging —packs without logos or brand colors—, have also failed to fully take hold, despite already being implemented in several countries with good results. In this context, some specialists fear that the debate about pouches will divert attention from the structural reforms that could further reduce the number of smokers.
At the same time, the arrival of new combustion-free nicotine products is forcing authorities to update the regulatory framework To avoid legal loopholes. The goal is to prevent these products from being sold without clear warnings, age limits, or controls on their composition—something that is already happening in other markets and could be replicated if action is not taken quickly.
The legislative debate in Spain, therefore, is not limited to deciding whether nicotine pouches should be allowed or not, but to defining what role will they play in tobacco control policyHow will minors be protected and what level of supervision will be required in a sector where public health interests and powerful industrial actors coexist?
Given this scenario, nicotine pouches have become a symbol of the new stage in the fight against tobacco: a product that, on paper, could reduce certain harms by eliminating smoke, but which raises concerns. serious questions about addiction, safety, and normalization of nicotine useThe balance between protecting the health of the population—especially young people—and offering less harmful alternatives to adult smokers will shape the decisions made in Spain and Europe in the coming years, in a debate where independent evidence and transparency will be key to preventing marketing from outweighing science.