The Irish Cancer Society is calling on Government to regulate emerging nicotine products, such as pouches, that are being cynically marketed to young people.
The charity’s call follows several major summer festivals partnering with nicotine pouch companies, such as Velo, owned by British American Tobacco (BAT), and Nordic Spirit, owned by Japan Tobacco International (JTI).
Almost 560,000 people were expected to attend summer festivals and be subjected to heavy promotion of nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
The Irish Cancer Society is urging Government to ensure legislation currently being drafted to regulate the marketing of e-cigarettes also applies to current and future products, such as nicotine pouches. The charity argues Government must future-proof its legislation to avoid playing catch-up while Big Tobacco invents new products to get young people hooked on nicotine.
Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer
Society, said: “E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are cynically designed to
be attractive to young people, with multiple flavours and sweet-like packaging. After years of advocacy
by the Irish Cancer Society and others, Government finally introduced restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes in December 2023 and further legislation is in train to tackle their marketing. However, right now there are no restrictions whatsoever on the sale or promotion of nicotine pouches.
“As a result, these incredibly harmful products can legally be sold to children. They are typically displayed in high-visibility locations, such as at shop tills, and are heavily promoted online. Now, festivals such as Electric Picnic are not only full of ‘pop-up shops’ selling nicotine products, they are also sponsored by pouch brands owned by big tobacco. In the absence of legislation, these cynical tactics
are going completely unchecked by Government and a whole new
generation of young people are getting hooked on nicotine.
“Government must address this urgently by passing the long-promised vaping legislation and widening it to include nicotine pouches and other emerging products, as in the Netherlands and Denmark”, she concluded.
Prof Bobby Smyth, Clinical Professor of Public Health and Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin, said: “These pouches play no role in smoking cessation. Their purpose is simply to addict a new generation to nicotine, some of whom will inevitably transition to traditional smoking. Some products contain staggering quantities of nicotine. They can cause symptoms of nicotine poisoning which includes vomiting, stomach pain, sweating and increased blood pressure. There are single cans
of pouches containing enough nicotine to kill two 13-year-olds. And sadly, but predictably, there is nobody in charge of regulating or monitoring these health damaging products.”
