Nicotine pouch crackdown will help curb risky trend

The President of the Australian Medical Association in South Australia (AMA SA) Dr John Williams has welcomed the South Australian Government’s crackdown on the illegal sale of nicotine pouches.

He says not enough is known about the risks.

‘Nicotine pouches are unregulated. There’s no quality control, which means the levels of nicotine contained in certain pouches could be extremely high,’ Dr Williams says.

‘We also don’t know enough about the other chemicals hidden in these pouches and the damage they might cause.

‘We applaud the Health Minister Chris Picton and his colleagues in government for taking firm and decisive action to clamp down on these risky products.’

Nicotine pouches are small bags which are designed to sit between the lip and the gum.

They don’t contain any tobacco leaf products and come in a range of mint and fruit flavours which are appealing to children.

A recent survey of 1600 young people aged between 16 and 39 found that 25% had used nicotine pouches. 19% had used the pouches at least once in the previous 30 days.

‘It’s alarming that the use of nicotine pouches is on the rise among young people,’ Dr Williams says.

‘For a long time now, AMA has been vocal about the risks of vaping. Nicotine pouches are shaping up as the next battle for youth health.

‘The South Australian Government’s decision to enforce tough penalties on the marketing and sale of nicotine pouches will help stop this dangerous trend before it’s too late to turn back the tide.’

Dr Williams says GPs have a role to play in educating the public about the risks.

‘Many people already turn to their GPs when they want help quitting smoking or vaping,’ he says.

‘It’s important they have all the facts about nicotine replacement products, so they don’t resort to vapes, nicotine patches or other risky alternatives.’

For more information please contact Media and Communications Advisor Ben Terry on 0478 847 604.