Nicotine snus (pouches) have rapidly flooded the global market, outpacing the pace of legislative changes in many countries. Tobacco companies are actively exploiting this loophole: they market pouches to teenagers through bright packaging, sweet flavors, collaborations with bloggers, and the promotion of “discreet” use.
The World Health Organization has called on governments to urgently strengthen regulations on such products. Currently, only 16 countries have completely banned their sale, while another 32 have imposed strict restrictions. At the same time, about 160 countries still lack specific legislation regarding snus (https://lnk.ua/w7NQoUtqS), and Ukraine is currently among them.
In Ukraine, there are no age restrictions on the sale of snus, no advertising bans, no requirements for health warnings, and no limits on nicotine content. Bill No. 14110-d is intended to fill this legal vacuum; its adoption will protect children from access to these dangerous products.
How European countries protect young people from snus:
- France—has completely banned the sale of nicotine pouches due to a sevenfold increase in poisoning cases over two years (from 19 cases in 2020 to 131 in 2022);
- Belgium—has banned their sale as part of a broader strategy to foster a generation free from tobacco and nicotine;
- Denmark — has banned most flavorings, tightened controls on sales to minors, and raised taxes;
- Luxembourg — has banned the sale of snus to minors, banned advertising, and introduced a special tax;
- Latvia — raised the minimum age for purchasing nicotine snus to 20.
In addition, the European Union has imposed a complete ban on flavored tobacco heat-not-burn products, as it is precisely these flavorings that help the industry attract new consumers. In Ukraine, 81% of stick users aged 18–29 use exclusively flavored products, and 28% openly cite the appealing taste as the reason they started smoking (https://lnk.ua/ep2Jpy5g3).
Another important document—Bill No. 12091—provides for a ban on flavored e-cigarettes in Ukraine.
The adoption of bills No. 14110-d and No. 12091 is not only a matter of complying with European integration requirements regarding the harmonization of regulations, but above all, it is a means of fully protecting Ukrainian children from the cynical marketing tactics of tobacco corporations.