These little white bags are dangerous for your health. They may contain arsenic and lead, alerting 60 million consumers.
New nicotine and tobacco products, nicotine pouches, are worrying tobacco specialists in France. “19% of 13-16 year olds say they have already heard of nicotine sachets such as Nicopouches. Among them, almost 1 in 10 young people have already tried them (9%)” reports the Alliance Against Tobacco. A survey carried out by 60 million consumers and the National Committee to Combat Tobacco in December 2024 showed that the nicotine levels displayed on these products could be different in reality. Arsenic was also found in all the bags. Lead, antimony, molybdenum and chromium were found in certain references such as D’lice Citron mint. Belgium and the Netherlands have banned these sachets. France has not yet decided…
What are nicotine pouches?
The word “pouche” comes from the English “pouch” which means “pocket” or “bag” in French. The pouches come in the form of small white sachets containing a white vegetable powder, devoid of tobacco leaves but containing nicotine (alkaloid extracted from tobacco). They thus reproduce the effects of traditional cigarettes. Pouches may also contain other chemicals and flavorings (vanilla, fruit, etc.). The sachet is placed under the lip (upper or lower), against the gum, and sucked. Nicotine is thus released gradually into the blood, through the oral mucosa, over an average of 20 to 30 minutes, providing a feeling of well-being or a temporary boost of energy. Pouches can be considered a drug in that the nicotine is directly in contact with the oral mucous membranes, and acts quickly on the brain by activating the reward system, inducing addiction. In terms of price, it costs on average 5 euros for a box of 20 sachets of pouches.
What is the difference with SNUS?
The pouches come in the form of sachets and contain nicotine like SNUS but no tobacco. The SNUS contains some. The sale and consumption of SNUS have been prohibited in France since 1992.
Are pouches legal in France?
Appearing after Directive 2014/40/EU governing tobacco products and related products which did not foresee the emergence of such products, pouches are located in a gray legal area, recalled the Senate in 2023. In law, a zone gray corresponds to a legal void, that is to say an ambiguity, an exception or an unspecified case in a law. Thus, we find all the information relating to tobacco and vaping products on the ANSES website but none on the nicotine sachets currently sold in France. Today, there is no official law indicating whether they are prohibited or legal. But in fact, the pouches are marketed “legally” in France. However, their sale is prohibited to people under 18 years of age.
What danger for health?
The danger of the pouches lies in their nicotine content. The pouches theoretically contain between 3 and 6 mg of nicotine per sachet, the equivalent of approximately 2 cigarettes, but in practice, these nicotine sachets deliver a very large dose of nicotine: up to 20 mg (the equivalent of 6 cigarettes) according to certain brands of nicotine sachets compared to 1 to 3 mg for a classic cigarette.
“The effect of an addictive bomb”
“When you give this to an adolescent brain, which is not finished, it has an effect on the addictive level of the effect of a bomb” alerted tobacco expert Alice Denoize on the BFM-TV set on November 15. And the earlier addiction occurs, the more it favors the transition to traditional cigarettes, according to health professionals. Furthermore, according to the Ministry of Health, like SNUS sachets, outbreaks can cause:
- diseases of the oro-digestive system:
- oral and pancreatic cancers,
- damage to the mucous membranes in the mouth,
- irreversible retraction of the gums,
- nausea/vomiting,
- palpitations
- a strong dependence on nicotine
On the risk of cancer, a study published in BMJ Journals in August 2022 showed that “the presence of carcinogenic TSNA (nitrosamines, toxic chemical compounds present in all tobacco products) in nicotine sachets is of great concern“. In other words, these products are highly addictive and their safety is not established. So while nicotine pouches may potentially provide a reduced-risk alternative for cigarette smokers or users of certain other products oral tobacco (according to the NHS, for example), the nicotine content of some sachets was alarming and the labels indicating the nicotine content of most products can be misleading. Some brands of pouches may contain nicotine. arsenic and lead.
What are the brands of nicotine pouches?
Sachets are available in different concentrations:
- The Velo© & Lyft© brands make 4 mg and 6 mg nicotine sachets
- The Zyn© brand classifies its nicotine sachets by strength level, for example strength 2 = 3 mg and strength 4 = 6 mg
- Nuts (50 mg/g nicotine)
- D’lice by Kapz
A European decision is expected to ban the sale of pouches.
