As the global market for nicotine pouches is rapidly growing, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns of aggressive marketing tactics targeting young people and children that can lead to addiction from an early age. Nicotine pouches are pre-portioned pouches designed to deliver nicotine through the mouth. They typically contain nicotine, either synthetic or tobacco-derived, and other ingredients, such as cellulose powder, flavourings, sweeteners, and alkaline agents.
The WHO report warns that nicotine pouches can be highly addictive and calls for comprehensive regulations that address all tobacco-related products.
Global retail sales of nicotine pouches in 2024 totalled 23.462 billion units, an increase of 50.5% over the previous year, the report noted. In 2025, the global market for nicotine pouches was nearly US$ 7 billion (€ 6 billion), with the sales highest in North America, mainly in the United States, with a revenue share of 79%.
Outside the US, nicotine pouches are most popular in European countries such as Germany, Poland, and Sweden, said the WHO.
While groups of all ages use these products, the report calls for special protection of children and young people who are more vulnerable, both to nicotine’s impact on their bodies and to advertising tactics from the industry.
The report noted that in the US, nicotine pouch use among younger age groups, 13 to 20 years old, and young adults, 21 to 27, has rapidly increased in recent years, nearly quadrupling between 2022 and 2025.
In the United Kingdom, recent consumption increases have also been concentrated among young people; in 16–24-year-olds, nicotine pouch use rose from 0.7% in January 2022 to 4.0% in March 2025, the WHO said.
According to the report, these increases are occurring because nicotine pouches are “aggressively marketed and promoted to young people”.
Some of the tactics the international health agency has identified include advertising on social media and digital platforms, often using influencers and ads that promote “discreet” or stealthy use, making it difficult for parents or teachers to detect and as a way of breaking the rules.
Other marketing tactics include multiple flavoured nicotine pouches to appeal to a wider audience. These products often contain various sweet, fruity, mint, candy, and bubble gum flavours, which the WHO considers “particularly attractive to children”. Some brands include the flavours of alcoholic drinks
Amid the growing popularity of these products, the WHO calls on countries that commercialise them to ensure “strong regulations to reduce their appeal and their harm to the population”.
The report noted that there is insufficient national action, whereby nicotine pouches commonly fall through regulatory gaps and thus are either unregulated or lightly regulated.
The proposed measures include applying regulations uniformly to all nicotine pouch products, regardless of the nicotine form, banning flavours, and prohibiting all forms of advertisement and promotion.
The WHO also calls on countries to restrict young people’s access to nicotine pouches by enforcing minimum age laws, ensuring robust age verification, and prohibiting online sales.
(euronews.)
