Somewhere around 522,000 people across England, Scotland and Wales are currently tucking a small white pouch between their lip and gum on a regular basis. That number comes from a peer-reviewed study published in The Lancet Public Health in December 2025, and it caught plenty of people off guard — including, it seems, the researchers themselves.
Five years ago, nicotine pouches barely registered in British surveys. Use sat at roughly 0.1% of the adult population. By March 2025, that figure had climbed to 1%. One percent sounds modest until you realise it translates to half a million people, and the curve is still pointing sharply upwards.
So what is actually going on? Who are these half-million users, why are they choosing pouches over cigarettes or vapes, and should the rest of us care?
What did the Lancet study actually find?
The research team, led by academics at University College London and King's College London, analysed data from 127,793 people aged 16 and above who took part in the ASH Smokefree GB surveys between October 2020 and March 2025. That is a serious sample size — large enough to break the data down by age, gender and smoking status without the results becoming statistically meaningless.
The headline findings paint a clear picture. Overall adult use of nicotine pouches rose from 0.1% to 1% across the study period. Among 16-to-24-year-olds, use jumped from 0.7% in 2022 to 4% in 2025. And the gender split was stark: 72% of all pouch users in the study were men.
Young men aged 16 to 24 stood out most. About 7.5% of men in that age bracket reported current use — roughly one in 13. Among young women of the same age, the figure was 1.9%. Still growing, but nowhere near the same pace.
Professor Leonie Brose, one of the study authors, noted that pouches sit in a "difficult space" within the current regulatory framework. They are not tobacco products (they contain no tobacco leaf), they are not medicines, and until the Tobacco and Vapes Bill passes, they are not even subject to an age-of-sale restriction in law.
Why young men specifically?
The study itself does not pin down a single cause, but there are a few obvious threads to pull on.
First, marketing. ASH's chief executive pointed to "widespread promotion of products, targeting youth-orientated events and venues" as a likely driver. Nicotine pouch brands have sponsored music festivals, motorsport events and nightclub tours across the UK. Walk through any university town on a Friday night and you will likely spot branded sampling teams handing out free tins.
Second, social media. Nicotine pouches have built a genuine subculture online — particularly on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. The content is not always paid advertising. Much of it is user-generated: reviews, strength rankings, "pouch of the day" posts. That kind of organic buzz is worth more than any billboard campaign.
Third, and this one is harder to quantify, there is a masculinity angle. Pouches have picked up a following in gym culture, among combat sports fans, and in the broader "optimisation" community. Nicotine is increasingly discussed alongside caffeine, creatine and cold plunges as a performance tool. Whether or not the science supports those claims is a separate conversation, but the cultural association is there.
Are most users switching from smoking?
This is where the data gets interesting — and a bit uncomfortable for both sides of the debate.
The study found that 69% of pouch users also used other nicotine products. Most were current or former smokers. Use of nicotine pouches as a quitting aid tripled over the study period, reaching 6.5% of all recent quit attempts by 2025.
That sounds like good news, and for those individuals it probably is. Pouches contain no tobacco, produce no smoke, and carry none of the combustion-related risks that make cigarettes so deadly.
But here is the uncomfortable bit: 16% of pouch users had never regularly smoked. They picked up pouches as their first nicotine product. Among the youngest users, that proportion is likely higher, though the study did not break the figure down by age group for never-smokers specifically.
For public health advocates, that 16% figure is the one that keeps them up at night. The entire harm-reduction argument for nicotine pouches rests on the idea that they are a safer alternative to something worse. When someone who never smoked starts using pouches, that argument falls apart.
How does the UK compare with other countries?
The UK market grew by 95% between 2023 and 2024, according to data from the Haypp Group, an online nicotine products retailer. Market value reached roughly £185 million in 2024. Those are big numbers, but they are not evenly distributed across the country.
Edinburgh leads on a per-capita basis, with around 2,429 pouch-related searches per 100,000 people. London and Bristol follow. England as a whole drives the majority of overall search interest.
Across Europe, approaches vary wildly. Sweden, where the oral nicotine tradition runs deepest, has the most mature market. France went the other direction entirely — from 1 April 2026, nicotine pouches are banned outright, with penalties for sale, possession and even personal use. Austria is building a new licensing framework. The UK sits somewhere in the middle: legal, growing fast, and about to be regulated more tightly.
What is the Tobacco and Vapes Bill going to change?
The Bill, which is working its way through Parliament in 2026, will bring nicotine pouches under formal regulation for the first time in the UK. The main changes expected are:
An age-of-sale restriction of 18, bringing pouches in line with cigarettes and vapes. Right now, there is no legal barrier to selling pouches to a 14-year-old.
Advertising restrictions, likely including bans on the kind of event sponsorship and social media marketing that has driven youth uptake.
Powers for ministers to regulate nicotine content, flavours and packaging in future — though the specific limits have not been set yet.
The Haypp Group, which might seem like an unlikely voice for regulation given that it sells pouches, published guidance in February 2026 recommending a legal maximum of 20mg of nicotine per pouch. Their argument: adult smokers need access to viable alternatives, but ultra-strength products (some go up to 150mg per pouch) serve no legitimate purpose and increase the risk of nicotine dependence in new users.
It is worth noting that 20mg is already the strength ceiling in several European markets, and the most popular products in the UK — VELO, ZYN, Nordic Spirit — all sit well below that threshold.
What do the brands look like right now?
VELO leads UK brand searches by a wide margin, with more than 163,000 annual queries. ZYN follows at 111,000, then Nordic Spirit at around 70,000. Mint flavours dominate, accounting for roughly 59% of all cans sold, with fruit flavours making up about 22%.
The market is getting more crowded. Imperial Brands launched its ZONE brand in late 2025, targeting the 9-12mg "sweet spot" that makes up about 43% of UK sales. Newer entrants like Tacja, Loop and Fix are also pushing for shelf space. Supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Co-op now stock pouches alongside traditional tobacco products.
If you have used nicotine pouches, you probably already knew most of that. If you have not, the sheer variety available in a typical corner shop might surprise you.
Should you be worried about your health?
The honest answer is: it depends what you are comparing pouches to.
Compared to cigarettes, nicotine pouches are almost certainly far less harmful. There is no combustion, no tar, no carbon monoxide. The Royal College of Physicians and Public Health England have both argued that non-combustible nicotine products are significantly less risky than smoking, though they stop short of calling them safe.
Compared to using nothing at all, pouches introduce nicotine dependence. Nicotine is addictive. It raises heart rate and blood pressure temporarily. Long-term cardiovascular effects of sustained nicotine use without tobacco are still being studied.
On oral health specifically, current evidence suggests pouches do not increase the risk of oral cancer. Some users report gum irritation, soreness, or mild recession at the spot where they place the pouch. A review in the British Dental Journal concluded that more research is needed but that the risks appear modest compared to smokeless tobacco products like snus.
None of this amounts to "pouches are safe." It amounts to "pouches are probably much less dangerous than what many users would otherwise be doing."
Where is this all heading?
If you had to bet, the most likely scenario for the UK over the next two to three years looks something like this: the Tobacco and Vapes Bill passes, an 18+ age restriction takes effect, advertising gets tightened significantly, and the government sets a nicotine strength cap — probably at or near 20mg.
Youth uptake will likely slow once the advertising taps are turned off and retailers have to check ID. It will not stop entirely — teenagers have always been creative about getting hold of things they are not supposed to have — but the scale of the current growth is driven partly by how easy and visible pouches are right now.
For adult smokers, pouches will probably remain freely available and may even get a more explicit endorsement from public health bodies as a quitting tool. The NHS has been cautious so far, but if the evidence continues to show that pouches help people quit smoking without serious side effects, that could shift.
The 522,000 figure from the Lancet study is a snapshot of where things stand right now. A year from now, it will almost certainly be higher. The question is not really whether nicotine pouches are here to stay in the UK — that seems settled. The question is whether regulation can catch up fast enough to keep the benefits for smokers while limiting the risks for everyone else.
Frequently asked questions
How many people in the UK use nicotine pouches?
According to a Lancet Public Health study analysing data up to March 2025, approximately 522,000 adults in Great Britain currently use nicotine pouches, representing about 1% of the adult population.
What age group uses nicotine pouches the most in the UK?
Young adults aged 16 to 24 are the fastest-growing user group. About 4% of this age group reported current use in 2025, with the figure reaching 7.5% among young men specifically.
Are nicotine pouches legal in the UK?
Yes, nicotine pouches are legal to buy and sell in the UK. However, there is currently no minimum age requirement, which the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is expected to change by introducing an 18+ age-of-sale restriction.
Are nicotine pouches safer than cigarettes?
They are widely considered to be significantly less harmful than cigarettes because they contain no tobacco and produce no smoke. However, they still deliver nicotine, which is addictive, and long-term health effects are still being studied.
Can nicotine pouches help you quit smoking?
The Lancet study found that 57% of pouch users started using them as a way to quit smoking, and use of pouches as a quitting aid reached 6.5% of all recent quit attempts by 2025. However, they are not yet formally recommended by the NHS as a cessation tool.
What is the most popular nicotine pouch brand in the UK?
VELO is the market leader by a significant margin, followed by ZYN and Nordic Spirit. Mint flavours account for roughly 59% of all sales.
Will nicotine pouches be banned in the UK?
A ban is not expected. The UK government's approach through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill focuses on regulation rather than prohibition, including age restrictions, advertising limits and potential controls on nicotine strength and flavours.
What nicotine strength are most pouches sold at in the UK?
The 9-12mg range is the most popular, accounting for about 43% of sales. Products at the extreme end can go up to 150mg per pouch, though industry groups have recommended a 20mg cap.
