Nicotine pouch laws vary worldwide. In the UK they’re legal but treated as general consumer products. Across Europe, many countries including France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands have banned them, while Sweden permits use. In the US, the FDA regulates them as a tobacco product, Canada limits sales to pharmacies, and Australia allows them only by prescription. Overall, global rules are tightening, especially around youth access, flavours and nicotine strength.

Introduction: Are there Differences in Regulations Worldwide?

Over recent years, nicotine pouches have increasingly grown in popularity, offering a discreet and convenient alternative to your traditional tobacco products. However, with this rapid rise in sales, governments and health regulators across the world seem to be paying close attention to the pros and cons of this.

As nicotine pouches do not specifically fall under the same regulations as tobacco products, this has led to a lot of grey areas amongst different countries in regards to the marketing and sales. Unlike smoking and vaping, it can be a little unclear where a country stands on sales and purchases, with many treating them under general consumer product laws instead of tobacco-specific legislations.

Global regulations vary from a complete ban to no specific regulations - sometimes somewhere in between (1). In this guide, we’ll break down the current regulations across key regions - including the UK, US and Europe and what changes may be on the horizon.

What are Nicotine Pouches and Why are they Regulated?

Nicotine pouches are white tobacco-free sachets that contain organic granules, nicotine, flavourings and pH stabilisers. Although they are tobacco-free, they generally fall under the same regulations as nicotine products due to their nicotine content.

Table: Nicotine Pouch Legality Across the World

UK Nicotine Pouch Rules

In the UK, nicotine pouches sit in a bit of a grey area. They don’t contain tobacco leaf, so they’re not covered by traditional tobacco laws or the vaping regulations (TRPR). Instead, they’re treated as a general consumer product under the General Product Safety Regulations, which means very little in the way of strict oversight. Read our dedicated blog for more detail about UK nicotine pouch regulations.

At the moment:

• No legal age limit applies. Technically, shops can sell nicotine pouches to under‑18s unless they choose to set their own restrictions.

• They don’t have to be kept behind the counter. Many stores display them openly, sometimes right next to sweets at the checkout.

Since 1 June 2025, single‑use disposable vapes have been banned across the UK. Nicotine pouches remain legal and are becoming a popular alternative. But that rise in popularity is causing concern:

• Awareness among 11–17‑year‑olds has jumped from 38% in 2024 to 43% in 2025.(2)

• Some tins pack up to 50mg of nicotine, far higher than typical vape limits.

Health experts warn this could fuel a new generation of nicotine users.

To address it, the government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which has passed the Commons and is now in the Lords, proposes to:

• Set a minimum purchase age of 18

• Crack down on advertising, flavours, and packaging

• Cap nicotine strength in pouches

Europe

Nicotine pouches are not considered a tobacco product within the EU and so do not fall under the TPD regulations. Because of this, members of state are in charge of deciding how to treat them - leading to variations in rules. Across Europe, the regulation of nicotine pouches are becoming increasingly strict, reflecting growing concerns around youth access, public health, and product safety. Many EU countries have now banned nicotine pouches entirely including Germany, Belgium and most recently France (3) and the Netherlands.

While several countries have implemented outright bans, enforcement of the rules still vary, with Belgium still seeing widespread availability despite its 2023 prohibition. Other nations, such as Germany and Denmark, are pursuing regulatory workarounds: Germany reclassified nicotine pouches as food products to restrict sales, while Denmark looks to introduce flavour limitations by 2026 to allow only tobacco or menthol profiles.

Overall, while the legal status of nicotine pouches varies widely across the continent, the general trend is towards more restrictive measures, with an emphasis on limiting youth access, reducing appealing flavours, and introducing stronger health warnings and content controls.

USA

As of January 2025, the FDA has authorised the sale of Zyn pouches as an aid to stop smoking but there are still restrictions on the marketing of these products. However, this decision now allows flavours beyond tobacco, mint and menthol to be sold - including cinnamon and citrus.

Australia & New Zealand

Pouches in Australia are commercially illegal so cannot be sold, advertised or marketed. However, they can be legally imported if you have a valid prescription from a doctor. New Zealand sales are also illegal but allow you to legally import them for personal use only.

Canada

Similarly, Canada restricted the sales of pouches to pharmacies in 2024, only making them available behind the counter. All flavours with the exception of mint have also been banned (4).

Rest of the World

When looking at regulations across the world, there is limited information and a lot more grey area around it. Unlike Europe, nicotine pouches remain less common in many parts of the world, favouring traditional tobacco products. This has resulted in unclear regulations for pouches, with countries across Latin America, the Middle East and Asia providing very little information on their rules.

In Mexico, vapes and other e-cigarettes are banned however nicotine pouches and other alternatives are considered legal, although they are still relatively uncommon and there is limited availability at physical stores. Brazil, however, classes nicotine pouches as a tobacco product despite them having no tobacco and has completely banned them.

South Africa’s NRT (Nicotine Reduction Therapy) means nicotine pouches are legal but as of now, largely unregulated. However with the proposition of a new bill (Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill), future legislation looks to be similar to traditional tobacco. Although not specifically mentioned, nicotine pouches are bound to be included in the broad definition of nicotine products while clarification is still needed on certain aspects of what will actually be allowed (5).

In Turkey, nicotine pouches are still okay to use while snus is illegal. However, this could be because currently, pouches are not the most commonly used nicotine alternative.

At the beginning of 2025, Vietnam passed a strict bill banning the sale, importation and production of vapes and other heated tobacco products like IQOS (6). Although nicotine pouches are not explicitly banned, this has drawn increased scrutiny on nicotine pouches, especially with tourists travelling into the country. Importing for personal use is allowed but if you are bringing in more than 5 cans, security may confiscate them from you.

In 2019, the Prevention of the E-Cigarettes Ordinance in India banned the sales, advertising and import/export of vaping. However, nicotine pouches were not included in the act, leaving them in a grey area. While they are not explicitly mentioned by law, some states in India have banned smokeless tobacco products (7) so depending on the region you are in, you may not be able to use or buy them . Similarly to Vietnam, if travelling through security with large amounts of nicotine pouches, you may face confiscation or penalties at customs.

What’s next for Nicotine Pouch Regulations?

Nicotine pouches are still a relatively low key product in comparison to their other nicotine counterparts. While some countries have already banned or strictly regulated the sale of nicotine pouches, tighter restrictions are expected in the future, as seen in the past with other more established nicotine products. This could include banning certain flavours and strengths or restrictions on marketing and advertising.

Conclusion

At this moment in time, there seems to be no trends worldwide in nicotine pouch regulations (8). While nicotine pouches are becoming an increasingly popular option in the UK due to their discreet and convenient nature, this is not necessarily the case across the world. Due to the lack of clarity around nicotine pouches, there are a lot of assumptions that can be made when it comes to worldwide regulations. With ever changing rules, it’s hard to keep up.

Nicotine pouches are only recommended for use as a tool to withdraw from nicotine or move away from traditional tobacco and nicotine products. Only use nicotine pouches as a way to withdraw from nicotine and if you are of legal age. If you want to know more about them, our in-depth Ultimate Guide to Nicotine Pouches covers everything you need to know.

If you’re unsure what is legal in your country or if you plan to travel, always check with your airline and read our blog ‘Can you Fly with Nicotine Pouches’ for more information.

Blog based on information at the time of publishing. This is changing constantly and best to check online to see the latest updates if you are planning to travel with nicotine pouches.

Referances

1. Tobacco Control - Summary of regulatory approaches

2. ASH - ASH calls for swift legislation on nicotine pouches as new data shows surge in youth awareness

3. Euro News - Ban of pouches in France

4. Global News - Nicotine Pouch Restrictions in Canada

5. Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN) - South African Tobacco Control Bill and Implications

6. snusvietnam.com - Is Snus Legal in Vietnam

7. World Vapers Alliance - Nicotine Pouches and Vaping in India 

8. Global Issues: Nicotine Pouches - Regulations and Global Trends