‘They’re guinea pigs’: The new nicotine fad targeting teens
More young Australians are using nicotine pouches, an illegal, unregulated product experts say is being marketed as a healthier alternative to smoking.
Late last year, Generation Vape, a national research group led by Cancer Council NSW, released the first Australian study on nicotine pouch use and perceptions among young people. Their data found 12.9 per cent of all 18 to 24-year-olds and 22.3 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds who smoke had tried nicotine pouches. So, what is all the fuss about?
Credit: iStock
What are nicotine pouches?
Nicotine pouches are flavoured sachets placed between the lip and the gum, delivering nicotine directly to the body. Unlike snus, nicotine pouches don’t contain tobacco leaf, dust or stems, but a synthetic form of nicotine. They are often advertised as being tobacco-free.
Anita Dessaix, director of prevention and advocacy at Cancer Council NSW, says given these products are illegal and unregulated, little is known about their exact contents.
“There are lots of question marks about what’s really in these products,” she says.
While illegal to sell, buy or advertise, nicotine pouches are not difficult to buy in shops around the country, and their importation into Australia has been steadily rising. Since January 2024, 1.3 million nicotine pouches have been seized at the Australian border – a 950 per cent increase compared with two years ago.
Why are they on the rise?
The conditions contributing to the rising popularity of nicotine pouches among young people are a “perfect storm”, says associate professor Becky Freeman, University of Sydney chief investigator for the Generation Vape project.
Packaged in colourful boxes, and available in flavours like green apple, Freeman says nicotine pouches are clearly designed to target young people.
The companies behind these products have funnelled considerable investment into their marketing, with the top-six major nicotine pouch manufacturers spending at least $US11.2 million ($17.7 million) on advertising campaigns in 2019.
On social media, nicotine pouches like Zyn are spruiked by influencers popular among Gen Z, often as healthy alternatives to smoking or vaping.
“This is just another opportunity for big tobacco to try and hook a new generation of customers to nicotine,” says Dessaix, from the Cancer Council.
Freeman points out nicotine pouches are also more discreet than vapes or cigarettes, as they can be slipped easily inside the lip and don’t produce vapour or smoke.
Survey respondents revealed myriad reasons for using nicotine pouches. Some cited enhanced sport performance, while others used pouches recreationally at music festivals or in nightclubs.
While some study participants said pouches had made them feel ill or burned their gums, others thought pouches were better than smoking or vaping.
“It’s a healthier solution. It’ll save your lungs,” said one 14-year-old male respondent.
Zyn, a popular brand of nicotine pouches, features colourful packaging which experts say is designed to appeal to young people.Credit: Getty Images
What are the risks?
Freeman warns their negative health effects should not be understated.
“The number-one risk is addiction,” says Freeman. “A lot of people downplay that, particularly young people who have never been addicted … That loss of control can be really, really awful for people.”
Dessaix adds that use of nicotine pouches can be a pathway to smoking or vaping.
Nicotine also impacts developing brains, which do not reach full maturity until 23 to 25 years of age. Exposure to nicotine from a young age can create long-term changes in brain function relating to mood, memory, learning and reward pathways.
We don’t yet know what the long-term effects of nicotine pouches are and their potential impact on things such as cancer or heart disease, says Freeman.
“In some ways, people who are using these products now are guinea pigs to see what’s going to happen.”
There is also no strong evidence to show that nicotine pouches are effective smoking or vaping cessation aids, despite often being promoted as such.
Starting a conversation
If you discover your child has been using nicotine pouches, Freeman says it’s important to maintain open communication.
“You don’t want to start throwing around punishments and accusations. You want to make sure that your teen understands the health impacts, that you care about their health, that you want to help.”
She also recommends talking to your family GP, or the Quitline, with your child.
Freeman says it’s important not to place blame on children.
“This isn’t about kids being rebels, this is about a multinational industry marketing a deadly and addictive product.”
She wants to see more action from the government to crackdown on importers and retailers selling the product.
Dessaix says you can report local shops selling pouches or other illegal tobacco products to their local Public Health Unit on 1800 357 412 or on the NSW Health or VIC Health websites.
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