Overview
- WHO published a 154-page report on nicotine pouches — small, smokeless sachets placed between the lip and gum — warning they are highly addictive and may harm the heart and brain.
- The report says use in adolescence can impair attention and learning and increase the chance of long-term dependence.
- Argentina, which recently allowed retail sales, is creating a national registry and plans to permit only tobacco or menthol flavors with a maximum of 8 milligrams of nicotine per pouch.
- Officials in Argentina have not signaled curbs on social-media ads or event sponsorship, even as a separate study in Mexico found brands hiring influencers, using eye-level store displays, and offering festival giveaways and discounts.
- WHO market data show rapid growth, with an estimated 23 billion units sold in 2024 — about 50% more than 2023 — and rising youth uptake, including a fourfold increase among 13–27 year-olds in the United States since 2022.