Canada restricts sale of nicotine pouches. Here’s what’s changing – National
In response to growing concerns about the increasing use of nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) among young people, particularly nicotine pouchesHealth Minister Mark Holland is putting in place restrictions aimed at limiting their appeal and accessibility.
The measures, which will take effect on August 28, include strict advertising restrictions, bans on certain flavours and limits on behind-the-counter sales at pharmacies, Holland announced on Thursday.
“Starting next Wednesday, a couple of things are going to happen. The first is that these products will be moved behind the counter. They will be delivered to pharmacies and will only be available on the other side of the counter,” Holland told Global News in an interview.
“The second thing is that these absurd flavors that are aimed at our children are gone…so Tropical Breeze and Cool Berry Splash…whatever they are, they’re gone. Those products will be recalled and unavailable.”
Nicotine pouches, designed to help people quit smoking, have been approved in Canada since October 2023 and are regulated under the Food and Drugs Act.
Health Canada has approved the sale of Zonnica flavored nicotine pouch from Imperial Tobacco, which sells flavored pouches like Tropic Breeze and Berry Frost.
According to the company’s website, Zonnic helps adult smokers quit smoking by delivering nicotine to the body in a controlled manner.
The approved pouch contains four milligrams of nicotine per dose, roughly equivalent to three to four cigarettes, and is used by placing it in the mouth between the gums and the cheek or upper or lower lip. It then releases the nicotine into the system, similar to the snus pouches popular in Sweden.
Nicotine pouches are not permitted for those under 18 years of age, but Health Canada has already declared that the sachets have become popular with young people and can be addictive.
Children and adolescents are particularly susceptible to the addictive properties of nicotine because brain development continues throughout adolescence and into early adulthood. Even using small amounts of nicotine can increase the risk of developing nicotine addiction in the future. Health Canada warns on its website.
Last year, the introduction of nicotine pouches to the Canadian market sparked immediate concern from health organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society.
The Canadian Cancer Society is concerned that without adequate regulation, similar to that governing smoking, children are at risk of becoming addicted to these products.
This issue has raised concerns not only in Canada, but also in other countries, where nicotine bells have been ringing over the growing use of nicotine pouches among youth. In 2023, the Netherlands and Belgium announced they were banning the sale of all types of nicotine pouches.
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A 2024 study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research Researchers found that while nicotine pouches are less toxic than cigarettes, they can still pose health risks, and the way tobacco companies market them may encourage youth initiation.
“In the United States, the potential public health impact of oral nicotine pouches is particularly relevant given the continued rise in awareness and use, particularly among young adults,” the study said. “The wide variety of flavors of oral nicotine pouches and aggressive marketing campaigns have the potential to appeal to youth and young adults, providing an alternative pathway to nicotine addiction.”
What are the new measures?
Last November, after Canada approved the sale of nicotine pouches, Holland has pledged to close this regulatory gap which allowed their introduction.
Since their launch, nicotine pouches have been available across Canada, in places like gas stations and convenience stores, as well as over-the-counter. They come in a wide variety of colours and flavours.
Despite their legality, British Columbia implemented restrictions in Februarylimiting the sale of nicotine pouches to purchases in pharmacies. No prescription is required, but buyers must speak to a pharmacist to obtain one. Quebec has also taken a similar approach, authorizing the sale of nicotine pouches only in pharmacies.
Health Canada now wants to expand its reach by applying these restrictions nationally.
“We are deeply disturbed by the actions of tobacco companies. They have used a loophole that is supposed to help people quit smoking to get children hooked on nicotine pouches,” Holland said.
The measures implemented include:
- Prohibit advertising or promotion, including labeling and packaging, that might be attractive to young people.
- Require that NRTs in new and emerging formats, such as nicotine pouches, be sold only by a pharmacist or someone working under the supervision of a pharmacist, and that they be stored behind the pharmacy counter.
- Ban the sale of NRT in new and emerging formats, such as nicotine pouches, with flavors other than mint or menthol.
- Require a front-of-package warning about nicotine addiction, as well as a clear indication of its intended use as a smoking cessation aid for adults trying to quit smoking.
- Require manufacturers to submit mock-ups of labels and packaging for all new or amended NRT licenses to ensure no appeal to youth.
Holland stressed that there is no total ban on nicotine pouches, as he believes they help adults quit smoking.
He expressed hope that these restrictions will lead to the “denormalization” of the industry.
“One of the most important things we’ve done is we’ve kept a power that we can deploy now, before we have to legislate. That’s why it’s taken so long. We’ve had to legislate on these powers,” Holland said.
“Now they’re in place. So if (tobacco companies) try to get out of a new loophole, if they try to get out of a new loophole, we have the ability to act immediately using those powers to close them.”
“The main concern is addiction”
Dr. Shawn Aaron, a respirologist at the Ottawa Hospital, said the Canadian government’s action against nicotine pouches is “very important.”
“The big danger with nicotine pouches is that tobacco companies are marketing them to young people, they’re putting all sorts of fruity flavors on them and they’re putting them in attractive packaging,” he said. “It’s obviously designed to entice young people … maybe even teenagers to start buying these products.”
Nicotine patches are not technically tobacco, he explained, but instead contain synthetic nicotine. Often, these patches are enhanced with pleasant flavors and scents to make them more appealing.
Aaron explained that the principle of operation is to take the pouch, place it in the mouth between the gum and the lip and suck on it. The nicotine is then absorbed into the bloodstream.
“It’s a way of getting nicotine into the body without having to smoke it,” he explained. “But the major problem is addiction. If you’ve never used nicotine and you start using it in this form, you’ll quickly become addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to man.”
— with reporting from Elizabeth McSheffrey of Global News
