Canada restricts sale of nicotine pouches. Here’s what’s changing

In response to growing concerns about the rising use of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) among youth, particularly nicotine pouches, Health Minister Mark Holland is putting through restrictions aimed at curbing their appeal and accessibility.

These measures, which will take effect Aug. 28, include strict advertising restrictions, prohibiting certain flavours and limiting sales to behind the counter at pharmacies, Holland announced Thursday.

“As of next Wednesday, there’s a couple of things that are going to happen. The first is these products are going to be moved behind the counter. They’re going to pharmacies and they’re going to only be available on the other side of the counter,” Holland told Global News in an interview.

“The second thing is these nonsense flavours targeting our kids are gone … so Tropical Breeze and Cool Berry Splash … whatever they have, it’s over. Those products will be recalled and unavailable.”

Nicotine pouches, designed for smoking cessation, have been approved for use in Canada since October 2023 and are regulated under the Food and Drugs Act.

Health Canada has approved the sale of Zonnic, a flavoured nicotine pouch from Imperial Tobacco, which sells flavoured pouches like Tropic Breeze and Berry Frost.

According to the company’s website, Zonnic helps adult smokers quit by delivering nicotine to the body in a controlled manner.

The authorized pouch contains four milligrams of nicotine per dose, roughly the equivalent of three to four cigarettes, and is used by placing it in the mouth between the gums and the cheek or the upper or lower lip. There it releases nicotine into the system, similar to snus pouches popular in Sweden.

Nicotine pouches are not authorized for those under 18 years old, but