Europe Wages War on Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches are under attack in Europe, with multiple countries imposing bans and restrictions, and others planning to do so. Meanwhile, no European country has banned the sale of combustible cigarettes, which kill hundreds of thousands of Europeans every year.

The impetus for sales restrictions and limits on flavors and nicotine strength comes from tobacco control groups and public health organizations, which carry outsized influence among elected officials in many European countries and in the European Union (EU). They see pouches as a wolf in sheep’s clothing—a seemingly innocuous product used by the devious tobacco industry to initiate young people into nicotine use and then lifelong addiction. 

“Nicotine pouches are among the latest products used by the tobacco industry to continue their sale of addictive and life-threatening tobacco products, and the manufacturing, marketing and sale of these products must be closely monitored and regulated,” says a recent Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids “global issues” report. 

Why are nicotine pouches targeted for bans and restrictions?

Nicotine pouches are small packets made of a porous fiber—similar to tea bags—that contain powdered, food-grade cellulose filler, flavorings, sweeteners, and varying levels of nicotine. The pouch concept is borrowed from Swedish portion snus, but unlike snus (filled with pasteurized, low-nitrosamine moist snuff), nicotine pouches contain no tobacco. In some countries, nicotine pouches are called “white snus.”

Like vaping, nicotine pouch use eliminates all of the primary dangers of smoking. Since they produce no smoke, pouches don’t expose users to any of the combustion byproducts—like tar and carbon monoxide—that cause cancer and damage to the cardiovascular system and lungs.

In fact, there is no evidence that nicotine pouches pose any kind of risk to users, except of course the risk of developing a dependence on nicotine, and the very remote cardiovascular risks posed by all nicotine use. Moral objections aside, nicotine pouches have exactly the same health risks as government-approved nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products like nicotine gum. In fact, some countries have approved nicotine pouches as NRT products.

Every European resident that switches from cigarettes to nicotine pouches is someone improving their health, increasing their economic productivity, and reducing future tax expenditures on their healthcare, thus reducing societal costs.

In a bizarre reversal of logic, many European legislators and regulators seem determined to protect citizens from the least-hazardous consumer nicotine products, while exposing them to cigarettes—clearly the most dangerous one—which are allowed to be sold everywhere.

The European Union doesn’t regulate nicotine pouches

The most recent update of the European Union’s tobacco control law, the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), was adopted in 2014—years before nicotine pouches entered the market. Because there are no current EU rules covering pouches, EU member states are free to regulate or ban pouches as they see fit. 

That could change when the TPD is revised next, although it now appears the European Commission doesn’t intend to address tobacco-related issues this year. However, health ministers from several EU countries are actively pressuring the commission to reconsider, in large part because they want harsh EU-wide restrictions on pouches imposed.

As of 2021, just 0.3 percent of EU adults used nicotine pouches. But a 2022 European Parliament report warned that the rate was expected to increase to 0.9 percent by 2023. That might be comical if not for the huge number of smoking deaths in Europe. More than 20 times as many EU residents smoke cigarettes than use pouches.

The lack of EU-wide rules has led EU member countries to create a patchwork of laws and regulations across the bloc. Most EU states don’t yet have specific nicotine pouch regulations, but many are working on it. Among those that do, the rules run the gamut from increased age restrictions to outright bans.

Bans and partial bans: France, Belgium, Netherlands

Belgium  Belgium was the first EU country to ban sales of nicotine pouches outright. That law took effect in 2023.

France  In February 2025, France notified the European Commission that it will implement a ban on the sale of nicotine pouches and other oral nicotine products. When it receives Commission approval, France intends to ban pouches by health ministry decree, based on purported health risks.

Germany  In Germany, nicotine pouches are regulated as a novel food product. Depending on the news source you choose, in-person sales are either banned outright or banned only in certain federal states. However, even where sales are restricted, online purchases from outside the country apparently remain legal.

Netherlands  Nicotine pouch sales have been banned in the Netherlands since Jan. 1, 2025.

Russia  Although not an EU member, Russia has banned sales of nicotine pouches.

Nicotine limits: Spain, Czechia, Denmark

Czech Republic  Czechia restricts nicotine content to 10mg per pouch.

Denmark  A new Danish law will restrict nicotine content to 9mg per pouch and also impose flavor restrictions. The law will be fully implemented in 2026.

Spain  Spain has proposed a limit on nicotine content in pouches. The proposed decree would prohibit the sale of products with more than 0.99mg of nicotine per pouch. This would be a de facto ban, since no products exist with such a low nicotine level. The rule would also ban pouch flavors other than tobacco.

Flavor restrictions: Finland, Spain, Denmark

Denmark  A Danish ban on flavors other than tobacco and menthol will take effect in 2026.

Finland  Finnish lawmakers are close to implementing a law that will ban pouch flavors other than mint and menthol, and limit nicotine content to 16.6mg per gram.

Spain  As previously noted, the Spanish government is attempting to pass a royal decree banning the sale of nicotine pouches and vaping products in any flavor except tobacco.