Nicotine pouches at the center of international debate ahead of COP11

With Ireland warning of nicotine pouch manufacturers targeting young people and Ukraine preparing to ban these products as part of its move towards European standards, the question of restricting or even banning them is becoming a central topic of public health debate ahead of COP11 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. These developments come amid growing interference from the tobacco industry, which is seeking to legitimize these new products under the guise of "harm reduction."

In Ireland, growing concern over the widespread use of nicotine pouches

At a meeting of Sligo County Council[1], several Irish elected officials have warned of the increasing sales of nicotine pouches, particularly targeting young people. These products, often presented as tobacco-free and supposedly less harmful "alternatives," are widely available in local shops and promoted through sweet flavors and colorful packaging. Their candy-inspired appearance and accessibility increase their appeal to teenagers.

Local authorities have pointed out that this craze comes at a time when the prevalence of adolescent smoking in Ireland is historically low—only 2% of teenagers report smoking today. This call to ban the sale of nicotine pouches is aimed at preventing a generation that has almost completely lost its habit of smoking from developing a new nicotine addiction in another form.

This concern echoes that expressed in the United Kingdom, where investigations Research conducted by the organization Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shows a rapid increase in awareness of these products among 11-17 year-olds. The lack of specific regulations in some European countries still allows their over-the-counter sale, including to minors. Several British and Irish parliamentarians are now calling for nicotine pouches to be explicitly included in the texts regulating tobacco and vaping products, in order to restrict their marketing and promotion to young people.

Public health associations warn against the widespread use of these products, which, behind a "harm reduction" narrative, fuel nicotine addiction and undermine prevention policies. Manufacturers are trying to expand this market in various member states in order to impose them despite laws prohibiting them or taking advantage of legal loopholes in other countries.

Ukraine to ban nicotine pouches

In Ukraine, a group of MPs led by Mykhailo Radutskyi, Lada Bulakh and Maryana Bezuhla has submitted bill No. 14110[2], aimed at completely banning the production, distribution, and sale of nicotine pouches in Ukraine. This initiative follows the proliferation of these products on the Ukrainian market and growing concern among health authorities about their use by young people. According to data from the Ministry of Health, the use of modern nicotine products is now more common among adolescents aged 13 to 15 than among adults.

The bill's authors justify this ban by the need to protect young people from a new form of nicotine addiction and to fill a regulatory loophole exploited by the tobacco industry. The bill plans to amend several existing provisions to prohibit any commercial activity related to these products, as well as their importation and promotion.

On the eve of COP11, this initiative sends a strong signal in favor of a global approach to the fight against nicotine addiction, affirming that the protection of young people must take precedence over the commercial interests of the industry.

Tobacco industry to intensify activities ahead of COP11

With just a few weeks to go before the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which will be held in November in Geneva, several signs indicate increased mobilization of the tobacco and nicotine industry around international discussions. The tobacco industry and its allies are increasing public interventions and communications aimed at promoting so-called "smoke-free" products, including nicotine pouches, presented as less risky alternatives.[3].

This strategy comes amid growing debate over the role of these products in public health policy. At the same time, health organizations and States Parties to the Convention are calling for stronger implementation of Article 5.3, which requires protecting health policymaking from industry interference. These stakeholders point out that the proposed distinction between "tobacco products" and "nicotine products" could weaken the treaty's implementation and create new regulatory exceptions.

Several recent publications have also highlighted influence campaigns aimed at challenging the measures envisaged at COP11, particularly those relating to the regulation of new nicotine products. In this context, the upcoming negotiations should be crucial in clarifying how the Framework Convention will apply to these emerging products and in ensuring the coherence of international public health policies.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE

[1] Philip Rooney, Young people being targeted for the sale of nicotine pouches, meeting hears, The Irish Independent, published October 14, 2025, accessed the same day

[2] Ukraine wants to completely ban nicotine sachets, Antikor, published on October 14, 2025, consulted the same day

[3] Tobacco-free generation, A global disinformation offensive ahead of COP11, published October 8, 2025, accessed October 14, 2025