Tobacco companies realize that it is difficult to get an adult to start smoking, and traditional cigarettes are rapidly losing popularity among young people due to their harmful effects, which are obvious to everyone. That is precisely why the industry has capitalized on teenage psychology and the desire to experiment by creating a new product format for minors: nicotine snus (pouches).
Manufacturers are actively promoting these products as a “modern,” “high-tech,” and deceptively “less harmful” alternative to smoking, using aggressive marketing tactics. At the same time, there remains a legal vacuum regarding nicotine snus in Ukraine: there are no age restrictions on sales, no requirements for health warnings, and no advertising bans. As a result, children of all ages can freely purchase these dangerous products.
Statistics on nicotine pouch use:
- 7% of Ukrainian schoolchildren aged 13–15 have already tried nicotine pouches;
- 3% of schoolchildren use nicotine pouches on a regular basis;
- only 0.3% of consumers are adults.
The tenfold difference between the consumption rates among children and adults is a direct result of cynical targeting of teenagers. Snus is not a safe alternative to cigarettes and does not help people quit smoking. It is a severe chemical addiction packaged in a brightly colored box with a strawberry or dessert flavor.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine can stop the spread of these toxic products among minors by passing Bill No. 14110-d. The bill calls for a complete ban on the sale of snus to individuals under 18, strict restrictions on marketing, and the establishment of a maximum nicotine content per serving.
For more details on the study and campaign materials: https://surl.li/mgrxod