Here, The Pharmaceutical Journal has compiled the latest information about oral nicotine pouches, including regulation, risks and what pharmacists need to know. Oral nicotine pouches are small permeable pouches containing nicotine that are placed between the lip and the gum. However, Attar-Zadeh says the increasing popularity of oral nicotine pouches among young people in England might suggest increasing usage among non-smokers. Some countries, such as France and Belgium, have banned or restricted oral nicotine pouch use, citing their appeal to young people, increasing cases of intoxication linked to oral nicotine pouch use and concerns that they might act as a “stepping stone” to smoking​21,22​. Oral nicotine pouch use has been reported to cause local oral soft tissue abnormalities and alteration of sensation and taste​24​.

Source: New York Times March 19, 2026 14:33 UTC