The popularity of nicotine pouches is surging in the UK, research shows, particularly among young adults.
The pouches, which are placed between the lip and gum and release nicotine slowly, come in a wide variety of flavours and often contain sweeteners and plant-based fibres.
Like vaping, they do not contain tobacco and are generally considered to be a healthier alternative to smoking.
A new study led by experts from University College London (UCL) has found that, in the last five years, around 522,000 more people in the UK have begun using pouches, an increase from 0.1 to 1% of all adults.
But are they really safer than smoking, and what could be behind their surge in popularity?
Is using them safer than smoking?
Speaking on Mornings with Ridge and Frost, lead author Dr Harry Tattan-Birch, from UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, told Sky News: “The risks are substantially less than some other nicotine products like smoking, because there’s no tobacco and there’s no combustion.
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“And we know the combustion of tobacco is the thing that causes most of the diseases related to smoking.”
However, he and the other researchers have warned that the products can still be harmful and should absolutely not be available to children.
The NHS says that while nicotine doesn’t cause serious illness like tobacco can, young people’s developing lungs and brains are more sensitive to the effects of nicotine, and it can be difficult to stop using.
UCL research fellow Eve Taylor previously told Sky News the pouches were “significantly less harmful than smoking,” but warned that the products had not been around long enough for a full understanding of the long-term effects.
“But we can use what we know about what’s inside of them to predict what might be going on. So, they are not risk free, there are still harms to using these products. There is still some exposure to some toxicants, but it is significantly less,” she said.
Who is using nicotine pouches?
UCL researchers, funded by Cancer Research UK, studied data from 127,793 people in England, Scotland and Wales aged 16 and above who responded to surveys between October 2020 and March 2025.
They found that 4% of 16 to 24-year-olds were using pouches in 2025, up from 0.7% in 2022.
The uptake was particularly prevalent among young men, with one in 13 (7.5%) men aged 16 to 24 now using them.
Between 2022 and 2025, 72% of nicotine pouch users were men, the researchers estimated, while 47% were aged under 25.
Dr Tattan-Birch said the rise in use has been driven “almost exclusively by young people, especially young men, while use among adults over 35 remained stable and low”.
When he says young people, he also means children.
Because pouches are not regulated as a tobacco product or vape product, there are currently no age restrictions.
There are also no restrictions when it comes to advertising, meaning the often brightly-coloured and sweet-flavoured products can target young people.
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Mr Tattan-Birch said the increase in users may be “due in part to aggressive advertising targeting this group on social media, billboards, in bars and train stations, and through sponsorships of motorsports and music festivals.”
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, will make the sale of the pouches illegal to anyone under the age of 18.
The UCL researchers say their findings underscore the “urgency” of the bill, which will also restrict advertising and provide powers to regulate flavours, packaging, and nicotine content.
Are pouches helping people quit smoking?
UCL’s research found that among people surveyed from January 2022 to March 2025, 69% of pouch users were also reporting using other nicotine products, with 56% of them smoking cigarettes.
One in six (16%) had never regularly smoked, the researchers found, suggesting it was a completely unrelated habit for them.
Mr Tattan-Birch said: “Whether nicotine pouches are good or bad for public health depends on who is using them. If it’s a young person who would otherwise start smoking, then the use of pouches might help to reduce harm.
“However, if it’s a person who otherwise would not use nicotine at all, then the potential for harm increases.”
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The experts suggested more research was needed to determine how effective the pouches really are for quitting smoking.
And while they believe the new bill will be good for age-of-sale restrictions, they were wary of capping nicotine strength, saying changes should be “evaluated carefully,” as very low limits could undermine the potential role pouches play in helping people quit.
