Nicotine Pouch Use in Great Britain: New Data Shows Around 1% of Youths and Adults Currently Use Them

Nicotine Pouch Use in Great Britain: New Data Shows Around 1% of Youths and Adults Currently Use Them

Nicotine pouches have moved quickly from a niche product to a regular feature on high streets and social media feeds in Great Britain. At the same time, governments are racing to catch up with regulation.

New research from King’s College London, carried out with Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), sheds light on how many people in Great Britain are actually using nicotine pouches – and who they are.

The headline finding: around 1% of both adults and 11–18-year-olds say they currently use nicotine pouches. That means pouch use is still relatively rare, but it is increasing and concentrated in particular groups.

Important: Nicotine is an addictive, health-harming substance and these products are intended for adults only. Nothing in this article is medical advice.

What Are Nicotine Pouches – And How Are They Different From Snus?

Nicotine pouches are small, white sachets that sit under the upper lip, where they slowly release nicotine. They’re designed to be used discreetly without smoke or vapour.

Key points:

  • They do not contain tobacco leaf – unlike traditional snus.

  • They usually contain a plant-based filler, nicotine (either tobacco-derived or synthetic), flavourings and other additives.

  • They’re sometimes confused with snus because the way you use them is similar, but snus is a tobacco product and is banned in the UK and EU (except Sweden).

Because pouches are “tobacco-free” but still deliver nicotine, they sit awkwardly between existing product categories in many laws and regulations.

How the Study Was Done

The new findings come from a series of nationally representative surveys analysed by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London in partnership with ASH. 

The research used:

  • ASH Smokefree GB Adult Surveys (2020–2024) – annual surveys of adults (18+) in Great Britain.

  • ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey 2024 – covering 11–18-year-olds.

Respondents were asked whether they had:

  • Ever tried a nicotine pouch,

  • Currently used a pouch, and

  • Additional questions about age, sex, housing, mental health, smoking and vaping, and use of other addictive products.

This allowed researchers to track changes over time and see which groups are more likely to use pouches.

Key Numbers: 1% Current Use, but “Ever Use” Is Rising

The study highlights two different measures: ever use (have you ever tried a pouch?) and current use (are you using them now?).

Among adults (18+)

  • Ever use doubled between 2020 and 2024, reaching about 5.4% of adults in Great Britain.

  • Current use sits at around 1% of adults.

So, more adults are experimenting with pouches, but only a small minority use them regularly.

Among youths (11–18)

  • Around 3.3% of youths reported ever trying nicotine pouches.

  • About 1.2% said they currently use them.

Again, that’s low in absolute terms – roughly one in 100 – but enough to concern policymakers because the trend is upwards, and some products are high-strength and strongly flavoured.

Who Is Most Likely to Use Nicotine Pouches?

The research found that pouch use is not evenly spread across the population. It is more common in specific groups.

Among adults, ever use of pouches is more likely among:

  • Younger adults (18–24, 25–34 and 35–44) compared with people aged 55+

  • Men versus women

  • People living in rented accommodation

  • People receiving mental health treatment

  • Those with experience of other addictive products – smoking, vaping, gambling, cannabis or alcohol.

Among youths, ever use also shows patterns:

  • Higher among young people who already use other nicotine products

  • Higher among those in London compared with some other regions of England.

In short, nicotine pouches are not a mainstream product that everyone is using – they’re still concentrated in smaller, higher-risk groups.

Why This Research Arrives at a Critical Political Moment

These findings landed just as the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill reached the committee stage in the House of Commons.

The bill proposes to:

  • Set a minimum age of sale (18) for nicotine pouches

  • Ban advertising of pouches

  • Give government powers to regulate contents, branding and how products are displayed in shops.

Right now, because nicotine pouches are tobacco-free and not licensed as medicines, they have fallen between existing rules. This has meant:

  • No legal minimum age in Great Britain (at the time the research was reported)

  • Few restrictions on marketing, including youth-oriented sponsorships and social media activity.

The new legislation aims to close these gaps by bringing pouches closer to the regulatory framework that already exists for tobacco and vaping.

What the Researchers Are Saying

The researchers behind the study strike a balanced message:

  • On one hand, use is lower than many headlines suggest – around 1% current use, not a majority of young people or adults.

  • On the other, use is rising, and higher among people who already have experience with smoking, vaping or other addictive behaviours.

The lead author points out that pouches currently occupy an “in-between” space in regulation: they aren’t tobacco products and they aren’t medicines. That’s precisely why they’ve been able to be sold with less oversight so far.

ASH, which co-authored the research, emphasises two things at once:

  1. Pouches are likely less harmful than smoking if used instead of cigarettes; and

  2. Weak or absent rules on age limits and marketing have allowed strong youth-facing promotion, which may be contributing to uptake among younger people.

Public Health Perspective: Why 1% Still Matters

A figure like “1% current use” can sound small – but from a public-health angle, it still matters for several reasons:

  1. The trend is up, not flat.
     Ever-use has already doubled among adults in just four years. If marketing continues unchecked, that growth could accelerate.

  2. Use is concentrated in higher-risk groups.
     The fact that pouch use clusters among younger men, people facing mental-health challenges, and people using other addictive products is a warning sign, not a reassurance.

  3. Youth uptake can shape future nicotine markets.
     Even if most teens never touch pouches, a small but growing minority experimenting with high-nicotine products can influence long-term patterns of dependence.

  4. Regulation is playing catch-up.
     The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is attempting to close loopholes after rapid market expansion. What lawmakers decide now will likely set the tone for years.

 

What This Means for Policymakers, Industry and the Public

For policymakers

  • The data supports age-of-sale laws, marketing controls and content limits for nicotine pouches, similar to those already applied to other nicotine products.

  • Monitoring will need to continue, especially among youth and young adults, to see how regulation changes use over time.

For industry and retailers

  • There is clear evidence of growing interest in pouches among existing nicotine users, but youth-facing advertising and sponsorships are under heavy scrutiny.

  • Future business strategies will likely need to align with stricter rules on flavours, strength, packaging and placement.

For the public

  • For adults who already smoke, some experts consider nicotine pouches likely less harmful than cigarettes, primarily because there is no smoke.

  • However, pouches are not risk-free, can be highly addictive, and there is still limited research on long-term health impacts – including oral health and cardiovascular effects.

  • Anyone thinking about changing how they use nicotine (switching, reducing or quitting) should seek advice from healthcare professionals or accredited stop-smoking services.

 

Key Takeaways

  • Around 1% of adults and 1% of youths in Great Britain currently use nicotine pouches.

  • Ever use among adults has doubled since 2020, reaching about 5.4%, indicating rapid growth from a low base.

  • Pouch use is more common among younger adults, men and people with existing experience of other addictive products.

  • The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to bring in an age-of-sale limit (18+), advertising bans and controls on product contents and branding.

  • Policymakers face a balancing act: preserving potentially less harmful options for adult smokers while preventing youth uptake and high-strength, heavily marketed products from gaining traction.

 

Back to blog