By Ayomide Otitoju
The World Health Organization has raised alarm over the rapid global rise of nicotine pouch products, warning that tobacco companies are using aggressive and deceptive marketing tactics to target young people and drive addiction.
In a new report released on Friday, the WHO said nicotine pouches — small sachets placed between the gum and lip to release nicotine through the mouth lining — are rapidly reshaping the global tobacco and nicotine market.
Etienne Krug, director of the WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention, said governments worldwide were witnessing a sharp increase in the use of the products, particularly among adolescents and young adults.
“Governments are seeing the use of these products spread quickly, especially among adolescents and young people who are being aggressively targeted by deceptive tactics,” Krug said in a statement.
The agency described the products, which typically contain nicotine and sweet flavourings, as “engineered for addiction” and warned that regulations in many countries were failing to keep pace with their rapid expansion.
According to the report, global sales of nicotine pouches surpassed 23 billion units in 2024, representing an increase of more than 50 percent from the previous year. The global market value for the products was estimated at nearly $7 billion, with North America accounting for the largest share of sales.
WHO noted that one major nicotine pouch brand expanded from about 9,000 retail outlets in the United States in 2017 to more than 150,000 stores by 2024.
Outside the US, the products have gained popularity in European countries including Germany, Poland and Sweden, while emerging markets such as Pakistan are projected to witness rapid growth.
Vinayak Prasad, head of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, described the trend as “a rapidly evolving public health challenge”.
The WHO stressed that nicotine is highly addictive and particularly harmful to adolescents, whose brains are still developing. It warned that nicotine exposure during teenage years could impair attention, learning and brain development while increasing the risk of long-term dependence.
The report also highlighted broader health risks linked to nicotine use, including cardiovascular and mental health concerns.
WHO criticised the tobacco industry for using youth-focused marketing strategies, including colourful packaging and flavours such as bubble gum and gummy bears. It also cited influencer promotions, extensive social media campaigns, and sponsorship deals linked to concerts and sporting events such as Formula One World Championship.
The agency further condemned advertising slogans encouraging discreet use and avoidance of parental or school detection, including phrases such as “Forget the rules” and “Anytime, anywhere”.
Prasad questioned claims by manufacturers that nicotine pouches are safer alternatives to cigarettes or effective smoking cessation tools.
“If these products were truly intended primarily as smoking cessation tools for adult smokers, why are they being marketed with candy flavours?” he asked.
He added that nicotine pouches were “not risk-free products” and should not be promoted in ways that could create “a new generation of addiction”.
Jorge Alday, director of global tobacco watchdog STOP, also warned that the marketing of nicotine pouches resembled tactics used before the rise of youth vaping.
WHO called on governments to strengthen regulations on nicotine pouch products. It said around 160 countries currently have no specific rules governing the products, while only 16 countries have banned their sale and 32 others have implemented limited regulations.
The agency recommended bans or strict limits on flavours, advertising, sponsorship and promotions, alongside stronger age-verification systems, clear health warnings, plain packaging requirements and higher taxes to make the products less affordable.
