Free nicotine pouches handed out to children despite addiction concerns
Health experts say teachers and parents are increasingly concerned about children using the discreet pouches, with one survey finding nearly half of teachers were aware of them being used
Free nicotine pouches are being handed out to children despite addiction concerns, an LBC investigation has found.
Listen to this article
Children are becoming so addicted to nicotine pouches that some are reportedly stacking them in their mouths at school and overdosing on nicotine, leaving them sick, dizzy and unable to concentrate.
Health experts say teachers and parents are increasingly concerned about children using the discreet pouches, with one survey finding nearly half of teachers were aware of them being used.
Experts have warned that the small pouches can be easily hidden from parents and teachers - making them particularly appealing to children and teenagers.
Now, an LBC investigation has found companies are still able to hand out free nicotine pouches online, in shops, at festivals and sporting events.
Read more: Prince William to represent King Charles at funeral of King Harald of Norway
Read more: Burnham’s Israel sanctions plan could risk UK national security, shadow foreign secretary warns
LBC was able to order five sample tins for free from Nordic Spirit, Zyn and IQOS – including one containing 17mg of nicotine per pouch, meaning a tin of them is stronger than a pack and a half of cigarettes.
Our reporter was not required to verify her age with a driver’s license or passport - and instead could order them to her home using other people’s details.
A spokesperson for Philip Morris Limited (PML), parent company of Zyn and IQOS, told us youth access prevention is “at the core” of how they operate, and they “carefully control how it is sampled.”
They added: "As with all transactions on our website, the reporter’s age was confirmed before her order was accepted. She was verified as an adult by checking the date of birth she supplied against public records.”
Nordic Spirit, owned by JTI, told us their samples are “intended exclusively for existing adult smokers, vapers and other nicotine users who wish to learn more about the product”, and operate under a Challenge 25 policy.
For now, nicotine pouch freebies and selling them to under-18s is legal, but that’s set to change in October under the Tobacco and Vapes bill.
But health experts say children are increasingly becoming addicted to the products, which have grown rapidly in popularity since entering the UK market in 2019.
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of health charity ASH Scotland, said teachers and parents were increasingly raising concerns about children using nicotine pouches, especially as they are less obvious than cigarettes or vapes and can be easily concealed.
“We've heard stories of young people in schools who've stacked nicotine pouches in their mouths and overdosed on nicotine and been sick or dizzy,” Sheila said.
“[Some] have become so addicted to nicotine that they are suffering withdrawal symptoms, maybe waking up at night or disrupted in the classroom and can't concentrate because they're getting withdrawal from nicotine.”
She said the products were “vastly under-regulated”, adding that there was currently no limit on the level of nicotine they can contain.
Unlike cigarettes, nicotine pouches contain no tobacco leaf and are placed between the gum and lip, where nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Their popularity has grown rapidly since entering the UK market in 2019 - and are still somewhat of a regulatory grey area.
There is currently no law preventing retailers from selling nicotine pouches to under-18s, although many retailers - such as the UK’s major supermarkets - have chosen to impose their own age restrictions.
The Department of Health and Social Care told us that these marketing strategies will become illegal in October as they tackle youth nicotine use.
And unlike other nicotine products, suppliers are legally allowed to distribute them for free, for now. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which comes into force next October, aims to close this loophole.
Professor Crawford Moodie, from the University of Stirling, said free samples were a long-established marketing tactic, designed to encourage people to try new products.
“From a marketing perspective, free samples allow people to try a new product or engage with a new product category,” he said.
“They can help build brand awareness, lead to more positive attitudes towards a product and increase the likelihood of future purchases.”
His research found tobacco companies were distributing complimentary nicotine pouches in shops across Scotland.
Researchers visited 158 shops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Stirling, finding free nicotine pouch samples from three brands - Nordic Spirit, Velo and Zone - in each city.
In one case, a shop worker told researchers they had been instructed by a company representative to distribute the samples to young adults regardless of whether they already used nicotine.
While not illegal, Professor Moodie said it appeared to conflict with the industry's claim that nicotine pouches are intended for existing adult nicotine users.
Social media marketing is used by nicotine pouch suppliers, and following LBC’s purchase of free pouches, our reporter was inundated with adverts on social media, streaming platforms, text messages and email.
Teenagers also post their own viral videos, glamorising using the pouches in school for a “buzz”.
France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Singapore and Uzbekistan have already banned nicotine pouches.
French officials found a rise in nicotine pouch related calls to poison centres, involving children and young people experiencing symptoms including nausea, vomiting and seizures.
Sheila said the free giveaways were part of a wider problem with the way nicotine products were being marketed.
“Big tobacco has always exploited loopholes,” she said.
“So it will keep the letter of the law, but if it can find ways of promoting its products, especially at the next generation of consumers, it will do so.”
LBC has been told current legislation has failed to keep pace with the products' rise, and although nicotine pouches are generally considered less harmful than smoking, and a useful tool for adults trying to quit cigarettes, they are not risk free.
Long-term harms are yet to be understood - as they are relatively new to the market - but research suggests risks include gum disease, cardiovascular problems, and arterial stiffness.
Sheila said the UK needed to learn from the history of tobacco regulation before nicotine pouch use becomes more widespread among the youth.
“We are with these newer products like vapes and nicotine pouches where we were with tobacco in the 1950s,” she said.
“There's emerging evidence of harm, there's definite evidence of addiction and children's and youth uptake and dependency.
“We shouldn't be making that mistake with these novel products, we need to be ahead of that game, not a decade behind it.”
“We need to learn the lessons from tobacco and apply them to these novel products before we're left picking up the pieces.”
Zyn, IQOS and Nordic Spirit both told us that youth access prevention is key to how they operate, and that their products are only intended for adeptly use.
A spokesperson for Philip Morris Limited, the tobacco giant that owns Zyn and IQOS, said: “As with all transactions on our website, the reporter’s age was confirmed before her order was accepted.
"She was verified as an adult by checking the date of birth she supplied against public records.
"Anyone requesting a sample through zyn.com must complete an age verification check.
“We take steps to ensure we only appear at events where the majority of attendees are of legal age. In addition to operating our recently upgraded 'Challenge 30 policy', staff must also verify that anyone requesting a ZYN sample is an existing nicotine user. Anyone under 18, or who is not an existing nicotine user, will not be served.
“We have a track record of taking firm action when our youth access prevention standards are not met, and we believe all companies should have similarly strong safeguards in place. That is why we support a robust licensing system for all nicotine retailers, backed by meaningful sanctions.”
Japanese Tobacco International, parent company of Nordic Spirit, told LBC they are “present at a number of festivals and events throughout the UK as a way for existing adult smokers, vapers, or nicotine users to learn more about the product.
“Nordic Spirit samples are intended exclusively for existing adult smokers, vapers and other nicotine users who wish to learn more about the product. JTI ensures that Nordic Spirit adheres to strict marketing standards.”
“That includes Challenge 25 policy, health warnings, not engaging with children and age verification software.”