WHO condemns surge of intentionally addictive nicotine pouch sales in Pakistan and beyond

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a strong warning on Friday regarding the rapid global expansion of nicotine pouch products, condemning the tobacco industry’s aggressive marketing tactics that aim to hook young people. In a new report, the WHO stated that these small sachets, placed between the gum and lip to release nicotine, are swiftly transforming the global tobacco and nicotine market.

Etienne Krug, head of WHO’s health determinants, promotion, and prevention department, noted that governments are observing a rapid increase in the use of these products, particularly among adolescents and young people aggressively targeted with deceptive marketing. He warned that these products, containing nicotine and often sweet flavoring, “are engineered for addiction.” The WHO’s first report on nicotine pouches highlighted that, often marketed as “modern,” “discreet,” and “tobacco-free,” they are spreading globally at a pace that outstrips regulatory efforts.

Sales of nicotine pouches surpassed 23 billion units in 2024, an increase of over 50% from the previous year. The global market for these pouches was valued at nearly $7 billion last year, with North America experiencing the highest and fastest-growing sales. For instance, one popular brand available in approximately 9,000 U.S. retail shops in 2017 had expanded its presence to over 150,000 stores by 2024. Beyond the U.S., these pouches are most prevalent in European nations such as Germany, Poland, and Sweden, and are projected for rapid growth in various other countries, including Pakistan.

Vinayak Prasad, head of WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative, informed reporters, “This is not simply a market trend; it’s a rapidly evolving public health challenge.” The WHO underscored that nicotine is “highly addictive” and especially detrimental to young people whose brains are still developing. Exposure to nicotine during adolescence can impair brain development, affecting attention and learning, and increasing the risk of long-term dependence. The report also detailed well-documented health risks linked to nicotine use, such as cardiovascular issues and mental health concerns.

The WHO criticized widespread industry tactics designed to attract young people, including sleek packaging and appealing flavors like bubble gum and gummy bears. These tactics also involve influencer marketing, extensive social media promotion, and sponsorships of concerts and sporting events such as Formula 1. The organization further condemned messaging that promotes “discreet” use and avoidance of detection by parents and teachers, featuring slogans like “Forget the rules” and “Anytime, anywhere,” often paired with images of locations where smoking is usually prohibited, such as restaurants and public transport.

Prasad criticized companies’ attempts to portray nicotine pouches as safer than traditional cigarettes or even as smoking cessation aids. He questioned, “If these products were truly intended primarily as smoking cessation tools for adult smokers, why are they being marketed with candy flavors?” He added that “Nicotine pouches are not risk-free products and should not be marketed in ways that create a new generation of addiction.”

Jorge Alday, head of the global tobacco industry watchdog STOP, concurred, describing nicotine pouches as “little seeds of an epidemic that the tobacco companies are planting everywhere.” In a statement to AFP, he warned that “nicotine pouch marketing today looks a lot like what we saw 10 years ago before the youth vaping epidemic took off.”

The WHO urged countries to enhance regulations to tackle this issue. Currently, approximately 160 countries lack specific regulations for nicotine pouches. Only 16 countries have banned their sale, while 32 others have implemented some form of regulation. The report specifically called for bans or strong restrictions on flavors in nicotine pouches, as well as prohibitions on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of these products. Furthermore, it recommended stringent age-verification and retail controls, clear health warnings, plain packaging, and substantial taxes to decrease product affordability.

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