South Australia has become the first state in Australia to ban the sale of nicotine pouches – but health experts warn the move will “cost thousands of lives”.
The pouches, which release nicotine when placed between the gum and lip, have been banned with immediate effect and anyone caught selling them faces a fine of up to $1.5 million (€850,000).
“We have no idea what’s in these products, they contain huge amounts of nicotine and they are directed at kids,” South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton said.
A ‘misguided step’
However, leading health experts say the ban is another “misguided step” in Australia’s restrictive tobacco harm reduction policies.
“South Australia’s ban on nicotine pouches shows a fundamental misunderstanding of harm reduction and ignores real-world success stories from nations embracing safer alternatives,” Dr Delon Human of global health campaign group Smoke Free Sweden said.
“While New Zealand and Sweden have achieved some of the lowest smoking rates in the world through the acceptance of nicotine pouches and other reduced-risk products, Australia continues to pursue policies that limit adult access to these safer alternatives.”
Australia already has some of the strictest vape laws in the world, after it banned the sale of non-therapeutic vapes outside of pharmacies last year. As a result, about 90 per cent of the country’s 1.7 million vapers are reported to have turned to the black market.
‘Ignores evidence’ from more progressive countries
Dr Human says the policy ignores evidence from countries such as Sweden and New Zealand which have dramatically reduced smoking rates by making safer nicotine alternatives more widely available.
Sweden – where products including vapes, pouches and snus are actively promoted to adult smokers wanting to quit – recently became the first country to officially be declared as smoke free.
New Zealand has also achieved impressive results due to its forward-thinking approach to tobacco harm reduction. Smoking rates there have plummeted by nearly half, from 12.2 per cent to 6.8 per cent in just five years.
The country has seen a simultaneous switch from smoking to vaping, with the prevalence of adult daily vaping increasing from 2.6 per cent to 9.7 per cent, with the majority of daily vapers either being ex-smokers or current smokers (dual use).
Australia’s stagnant smoking rate
While New Zealand’s smoking rate has declined, Australia’s smoking rate has remained stagnant at 10.7 per cent, despite having fewer smokers than New Zealand just a decade ago. This means that Australia’s smoking rate is currently a massive 57 per cent higher than New Zealand’s.
Dr Human said: “New Zealand has surpassed Australia in reducing smoking prevalence through its pragmatic policies on reduced-risk alternatives.
“Australia’s prescription-only model for vapes has created a thriving black market rather than controlled access. This new nicotine pouch ban further limits adult choice in smoking cessation options.
“Instead of being given an escape route from their deadly addiction, Australian smokers are being condemned to carry on smoking combustible cigarettes.
“The time has come for Australian lawmakers to acknowledge that their restrictive policies are not achieving their intended goals. They would save thousands of lives by adopting a more pragmatic approach that prioritises harm reduction over prohibition.”
