A BBC News investigation has shed light on the growing issue of illicit nicotine pouches in the UK, revealing the extent of unregulated sales and their impact on public health. The report highlights how some high-nicotine, unregulated pouches are being sold without proper safety labeling, age restrictions, or marketing controls. This raises concerns about youth access, misleading branding, and the absence of clear enforcement measures to distinguish legal products from illicit ones.
Trading Standards teams across the UK have seized over 1,500 illegal nicotine pouches in the past year, emphasizing the scale of the issue. These non-compliant products contain dangerous nicotine levels, often exceeding those found in traditional cigarettes, making them highly addictive and a serious public health risk.
During his BBC Radio Kent appearance, Robert Sidebottom addressed the growing challenge of illicit nicotine pouches in the market. As GINN’s industry and compliance expert and Managing Director of Arcus Compliance, Robert emphasized that the current lack of clear regulations has created an environment where illegal products are flourishing. He stressed that immediate regulatory action is needed to address this issue.
Key Findings from BBC’s Investigation:
✔ Illicit pouches being sold without any nicotine limits
✔ No formal marketing or safety standards enforced
✔ Retailers selling unregulated products without age verification
✔ High-strength pouches exceeding nicotine levels found in cigarettes
“We urgently need clear regulation to prevent unsafe products from reaching consumers while ensuring legitimate businesses can operate responsibly,” said Robert Sidebottom during the BBC Radio Kent interview.
Core Position: A Proportionate Regulatory Framework
The Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN) advocates for a balanced approach—one that prevents youth access while preserving adult access to lower-risk alternatives. Simply banning nicotine pouches or imposing excessive restrictions could push users back to cigarettes or illegal sources.
A proportionate regulatory framework would:
🔹 Ensure nicotine pouches remain accessible to adult smokers seeking a harm reduction option
🔹 Introduce age restrictions and marketing controls to prevent youth appeal
🔹 Set clear standards for product safety and quality
The Urgent Need for Regulation: What’s Happening Now?
The UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill seeks to regulate nicotine pouches, bringing much-needed oversight to the market. The bill proposes:
✅ A formal 18+ age restriction
✅ Marketing restrictions to prevent youth appeal
✅ Regulation of nicotine content and packaging standards
✅ A new retail licensing scheme to monitor sales
This legislation is a crucial step in eliminating illicit trade and ensuring that nicotine pouches remain a viable harm reduction tool for adult smokers.
Industry Response: The Need for Clear Quality Standards
Robert Sidebottom emphasized during his BBC Radio Kent interview that responsible manufacturers support stronger oversight and compliance measures. Legitimate companies want to see:
✔ Nicotine limits that align with harm reduction principles
✔ Proper age verification at the point of sale
✔ Clear labelling and transparency in nicotine strength
✔ Marketing guidelines that protect young people while allowing adult smokers access
🔹 GINN is leading the charge in setting quality benchmarks. Our soon-to-be-released Draft Code of Practice on Manufacturing and Labelling will help establish:
✅ Manufacturing integrity standards
✅ Consumer protection mechanisms
✅ Ethical marketing practices
Key Enforcement Priorities
To combat the growing illicit market, Robert Sidebottom and industry experts agree that the government must focus on:
🚨 Targeting illicit trade: Strengthening enforcement against non-compliant manufacturers and retailers
🚨 Strengthening age verification: Preventing youth access through stricter retail and online sales monitoring
🚨 Improving product labeling: Ensuring that all nicotine pouches comply with safety and ingredient disclosure requirements
🚨 Supporting compliant businesses: Legitimate manufacturers should not be penalized due to regulatory ambiguity
A Call to Action: What Needs to Happen Next?
✔ Swift implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to introduce age restrictions, marketing controls, and product safety standards
✔ Industry collaboration with regulators to ensure responsible oversight
✔ Public education on harm reduction to help smokers transition away from combustible tobacco safely
✔ Targeting illicit trade while supporting legitimate manufacturers
Main Insights and the Way Forward
🚨 The illicit nicotine pouch market is expanding, and action is needed now. 🚨
🔹 A proportionate, evidence-based regulatory framework is the solution—one that protects young people while maintaining adult access to safer alternatives.
🔹 The Tobacco and Vapes Bill presents an opportunity to establish clear, science-backed policies.
🔹 GINN remains committed to advocating for responsible, harm-reduction-focused regulation.
📢 Let’s ensure the right policies are in place before the problem gets out of control. The time to act is now.
📌 Listen to Robert Sidebottom’s insights on BBC Radio Kent:
👉 BBC Radio Kent – Live Discussion on Nicotine Pouches
📌 Read the BBC News investigation on nicotine pouches:
👉 BBC News: The Rise of Nicotine Pouches and Regulation Concerns
