Border Force seizes millions of nicotine pouches as concern over use grows
While world-leading tobacco restrictions have reduced smoking rates in Australia, regulators are grappling with the rise of alternative nicotine products.
Australian border security seized nearly 9 million illegal nicotine pouches last year, amid rising concerns over their use among young people.
Since the Rudd government, Australia has been a global leader in efforts to combat tobacco use, introducing world-first plain packaging laws and increasing cigarette taxes.
While these measures have contributed to a decline in cigarette use, regulators have not kept pace with a surge in the use of nicotine pouches — tiny teabag-like parcels which users place under their gums.
These pouches have not been assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for safety and are illegal to import or sell in Australia without a prescription. Although linked to forms of cancer such as mouth and throat cancer, their long-term health impacts are not yet fully understood. They are presumed to be less dangerous than cigarettes, given users do not inhale smoke.
