Nicotine sachets: the CNCT files a complaint for trafficking in poisonous substances

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, focused on the theme of protecting younger generations from lobbying by the tobacco industry, the National Committee Against Tobacco (CNCT) publishes the results of its observatory , reporting “anarchic” marketing of nicotine sachets. Faced with this observation, and considering that the sale in France of these products is illegal by nature, the CNCT requests a ban on the marketing of nicotine sachets, and files a complaint with the Public Prosecutor for trafficking in poisonous substances classified as list I.

Nicotine sachets follow the principle of snus - banned in the European Union with the exception of Sweden - but without tobacco. They appear as sachets containing nicotine, to be placed between the lip and the gum, for a duration varying from twenty minutes to an hour.

Very high nicotine levels

In its press release, the CNCT warns of the particularly addictive nature of these products recently introduced on the French market. Thus, the nicotine content of the sachets can reach up to 50 milligrams per gram. To compare, A medical nicotine replacement such as chewing gum, which is delivered in a similar way to a nicotine pouch, contains 4 milligrams of nicotine. According to the National Committee Against Smoking, far from being products intended to overcome addiction, these products are therefore vectors of entry into nicotine.

A coordinated advertising strategy

As part of its missions and to document the advertising and marketing strategies for nicotine sachets, the National Committee Against Tobacco carried out 360 visits to 185 different sales locations. The results show extremely rapid commercial development for these products, since 60% outlets offered nicotine sachets for sale.

This commercial strategy is notably supported by a colossal advertising investment, online or at points of sale. Thus, in 2023, 239 advertisements for nicotine sachets were noted on the Instagram network alone. In the same way, 55% tobacco stores advertised these products at the point of sale. This coordinated and illegal advertising strategy focuses in particular on the diversity of flavors available, the reduction of the risks that these products would entail for the consumer, and on the possibility for the latter to consume nicotine sachets at any time and at any time. any place, unlike tobacco and vaping products. For the CNCT, the manufacturer's advertising message targets the youngest generations as a priority, also insisting on the fact that online platforms do not implement rigorous control of the age of the Internet user.

The marketing of nicotine sachets is illegal in France

Above all, the anti-smoking association emphasizes that nicotine sachets cannot currently benefit from a marketing authorization and do not belong to the category of exceptions concerning products with nicotine allowed. In other words, the marketing of these products is carried out completely illegally, and is similar to “the marketing of a poisonous substance listed on List I – which includes substances or preparations, and medicines for human use and products presenting the highest risks to health - outside any legal or regulatory framework, and in particular outside the exemption regime of article R.5132-2 of the Public Health Code”. In this way, the CNCT indicated that it had filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor in this regard.

For the CNCT, it is up to the public authorities to guarantee the ban on the marketing of nicotine sachets. This choice was notably made by Belgium and the Netherlands a few months earlier. The development of these products seems to attract the attention of public authorities, since the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) had called for the end of 2023 to regulate these products. Several parliamentarians, such as Karl Olive, Paul Christophe and Vincent Seitlinger, have spoken out in favor of strengthening regulations, or even a ban. The creation of a regulatory framework is one of the objectives of the new National Tobacco Control Plan (2023-2027).

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