Nicotine pouches, which have recently gained popularity in the UK market, will fall under the scope of the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a Scottish minister has confirmed.
Public health Minister Jenni Minto addressed concerns about these products during a session of Holyrood's Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 6 May, where MSPs discussed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to create a "smokefree generation" by banning tobacco products for anyone born after January 1, 2009.
"That is exactly what this Bill is aiming to do, bring products like heated tobacco and snus as you've talked about into the legislation to ensure that we do have better powers to reduce their availability to young people and older people," Minto told the committee.
The regulatory attention comes after free samples of nicotine pouches were distributed at Edinburgh's Waverley train station earlier this year, sparking concerns among MSPs about marketing practices and youth access.
Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane raised questions about whether these products would be included in the upcoming regulations, saying: "Given that in Waverley Station we saw these products being handed out to people for free as a trial, I think we probably need to do a bit more in this area."
Commenting, the vaping and nicotine alternatives industry has acknowledged the need for responsible regulation while emphasising the harm reduction potential of these products.
Jamie Strachan, operations director at VPZ, said: "Nicotine pouches, which are often mistakenly referred to as 'snus', are tobacco-free products and represent a significantly reduced-risk option when compared to traditional smoking.
"We are committed to working collaboratively with regulators and public health bodies to ensure products are marketed responsibly and only to adult consumers. We urge policymakers to take a balanced approach that focuses on harm reduction while maintaining strict controls to prevent underage access and irresponsible promotion."
Despite sometimes being referred to as "snus", nicotine pouches are distinct from traditional Swedish snus, which contains tobacco and is currently illegal in the UK.
Professor Linda Bauld, one of the Scottish Government's top public health advisors, clarified this distinction during the committee meeting and noted that free distribution of nicotine pouches would be addressed by the new legislation.
On the health implications, Bauld offered a measured assessment: "We've only had them in the market for the last few years. They're going to be significantly less harmful than smoking – I'm pretty confident, from looking at their constituents."
However, she also highlighted existing concerns, noting that some studies had raised issues around periodontal health, and that the products are known to be addictive.
"The Bill is trying to strike a balance in keeping products available to people who smoke and who may use vaping or even a nicotine pouch as a cessation aid," Professor Bauld explained. "While recognising that what we saw in Waverley is about marketing these products, including to young people, which is absolutely something we need to tackle."
The Scottish government is recommending that Holyrood grants legislative consent to the sections of the Bill that impact devolved law.
