Nearly 80 percent of Danish nicotine consumers don’t support a proposed limit on nicotine levels in pouches and 20 percent say they would switch back to smoking if the limits came into effect, a new survey reveals.

In September, the Danish health ministry announced controversial plans to cap the nicotine levels of nicotine pouches at nine milligrams per pouch. 

The move, criticized at the time as “misguided” and lacking any scientific basis, was supposed to help curb nicotine consumption among young people.

Nicotine limits could increase smoking rates

However, a new survey reveals that rather than protecting young people, Denmark’s proposed nicotine limits risk forcing consumers into a far more dangerous form of nicotine consumption.

According to the survey, carried out in October by polling firm Ipsos, one in five nicotine consumers would consider switching back to cigarettes should the new limits become law.

A vast majority – 79 percent – don’t support the measure. If it were implemented, half of consumers would buy their preferred product either online or across borders.

Smoking rates in Denmark have fallen to 14 percent in 2023 from 19 percent in 2017, the year before nicotine pouches entered the market. 

The survey results confirm that pouches have likely played a role in reducing smoking rates, as three-quarters of respondents indicated they use nicotine pouches for health-related reasons, primarily to reduce or quit smoking.

‘Smart regulations based on research and evidence’

“The evidence is clear: nicotine pouches help consumers quit smoking and reduce harm. The proposed nicotine limit is a disaster for public health which will increase smoking rates, and create a huge black market,” Tim Andrews, Director of Consumer Issues with the pro-free market Tholos Foundation, which commissioned the research, said in a statement.

“This is a clear sign to the government they should follow international best practices through introducing smart regulations based on research and evidence, which restrict sales to minors and prevent underaged experimentation, while still allowing adults the ability to quit smoking.”

The research echoes the findings of a separate study carried out in Sweden by polling firm Demoskop on behalf of the Snus Commission examining nicotine habits of young people (aged 16-24) and the impact of potential restrictions on non-combustible nicotine products like pouches or traditional Swedish snus.

Sweden: Pouches help people quit smoking

The Demoskop research showed that 25 percent of young people chose nicotine pouches to help them quit smoking. And nearly two-thirds of those who have quit smoking say that nicotine pouches played a role in their success. 

Furthermore, one in three current nicotine pouch users say they would start smoking again if pouches weren’t on the market.

“It’s clear from both surveys that the availability of less harmful alternatives like nicotine pouches plays a major role in helping people quit smoking,” says Patrik Strömer, Secretary General of the Association of Swedish Snus Manufacturers.

Strömer emphasizes that he supports efforts to keep nicotine products of all kinds out of the hands of minors. 

Unintended consequences of a rush to regulate 

However, he fears that regulations based on “unfounded claims and overstated risks” associated with non-combustible nicotine products could have a deadly outcome.

“Nicotine is not a health product. It is addictive and shouldn’t be accessible to minors. But there is a huge difference in both the individual and public health impacts of consuming nicotine by combustible means compared to non-combustible means,” he explains.

“And sadly that message seems to have gotten lost in the rush to impose restrictions on nicotine pouches.”

Strömer sees a real risk of people either being forced to choose cigarettes because there is no safer alternative or deciding not to quit smoking should “overzealous” regulators lead them to falsely believe nicotine pouches are as dangerous as cigarettes.

“Surely regulators don’t want to set up rules that lead to an increase in smoking?” he says.