Richard Crosby works in IT and is the UK Director of Considerate Pouchers
There is little doubt that vaping has been an enormous force for good in the public health arena. Smoking rates in the UK have never been lower, which we know will result in a decline in the rates of smoking-related illness, which in turn will lead to countless lives saved or extended. Despite this success, we have yet to reach the UN’s goal of ‘smoke free’, defined as less than 5 per cent of the population smoking.
To do so, consumers need more than just one safer nicotine product to quit smoking. And this is where we see the highly effective nicotine pouch come into play. The small tea bag-like product – which contains no tobacco and sits under the lip – along with Swedish snus, is the reason why in Sweden, virtually no one smokes cigarettes. It seemed obvious for nicotine pouches to play their part in reducing domestic smoking rates – while also allaying concerns over underage access – a well-thought-out regulatory environment was needed.
Considerate Pouchers had long been calling on the Government to restrict the age of sale of pouches to those over the age of 18. Finally, it seems, they have seen sense. If the Government is successful in introducing its legislation shops and supermarkets will be forced to ask for ID when making sales, a long overdue move that will reduce the risk of these products being accessed by children and the moral panic that would ensue.
While it is worth pointing out that there is no evidence of under-18s adopting pouches, or of retailers selling them to children, this move is an acknowledgment by the Government that good regulation and harm reduction tools work effectively together. It is also an important step to reduce the chances of this life-saving wonder product suffering the same fate as vapes in the future.
Presumably, the new regulation will be enforced in the same way it is with vapes, meaning Trading Standards will take responsibility for age test purchasing, shutting down illicit traders, and fighting the black market gangs. It is worthy of mention this approach has been deemed ineffective in preventing children from accessing disposable vapes, which will now be banned despite already being an age-restricted product.
Therefore, Trading Standards must have more resources to combat illegal sales, funded not by the taxpayer but by a nicotine license scheme. Research shows such a programme could bring £50m annually into Trading Standards, along with ensuring retailers are fully aware of laws and regulations.
The UK nicotine pouch industry is now worth an estimated £45.8 million a year and the market is growing, with more than half a million users. This number is expected to rise to over two million by 2026. That’s 2 million consumers choosing to consume nicotine in a far safer manner than smoking. The Government’s regulatory changes therefore are timely, but it is vitally important that they don’t stifle this new technology that has the opportunity to save millions of lives globally and hundreds of thousands in the UK.
Flavours of pouches are of importance to the consumer, they allow smokers trying to quit to find a taste that is preferable to cigarettes while accessing the nicotine needed to remove withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking. The flavours then help to work to prevent the consumer going back to smoking as if they do they often don’t enjoy the taste of a cigarette.
Proposals by the Government to restrict these flavours – as with vaping – are feared by many to be the thin end of the wedge, where creeping restrictions end with a prescription-only model. One only has to look to the well-documented debacle in Australia, where a vape ban has led to black market gang warfare in the suburbs, to appreciate this would be a disaster.
Besides, we don’t restrict alcohol or caffienated beverage flavours. So why should we do so with nicotine pouches, especially when they are safer than alcohol and carry the same risk as coffee consumption?
Strict scrutiny must also be given to the grade of ingredients. These should be in line with food quality standards to ensure consumers are receiving a consistent and safe product. Knowing strict standards are in place also deters consumers from seeking unregulated, black-market products. In Sweden, Snus products adhere to the GOTHIATEK® standard which helps make sure the product is of a high standard and has a high level of safety for the consumer.
Finally, the strength of pouches should not be overlooked, some products have been seen on the market with a strength level that is unwise for those who have a lower tolerance to nicotine to use. Strength limits. However, we should recognise that the product is different to vaping and therefore is likely to need a different nicotine limit, especially if we are to encourage the most hardened of smokers onto vastly safer pouchers.
This approach is part of the model that has helped Sweden – with age restrictions on pouches introduced in August 2022 – eliminate smoking. Its promotion of vaping, pouches, and their traditional snus has also led to our male Nordic friends having a significantly lower chance of dying from tobacco-related illnesses compared to men elsewhere in Europe.
The Government’s disposable vape ban is a mistake and with the explosion in demand for pouches, it is imperative we get the laws around them right to prevent a future moral panic. Now the Government has committed to regulating pouches, it must ensure the law can responsibly harness their potential.
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Author: Richard Crosby
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