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ISLAMABAD, Nov 02 (APP): Sleek tins, fruity flavours and a promise of “smoke-free relief” are pulling a growing number of young Pakistanis into a quiet addiction, nicotine pouches. Small white packets tucked between the gum and lip, they deliver a sharp dose of nicotine without smell or ash, and are rapidly becoming a daily habit among teenagers and young adults.
Recent studies show use of nicotine pouches among 16- to 24-year-olds has tripled globally since 2022, from under one percent to 3.6 percent in 2024. Experts say Pakistan is following the same path, with shops and online sellers offering the pouches freely, no age limits, no warnings.
Zar Wali, a cobbler in Islamabad who doubles as a street vendor, says demand is soaring when questioned by APP how this addiction is growing.
“A 20-pouch tin costs around Rs 250 to 300. Brands like Velo, Zyn and Loop are popular mint, coffee, berry, whatever you want,” he said. “People buy them every day.”
Each pouch contains 3–14 milligrams of nicotine, absorbed through the mouth’s soft tissues. One lasts about an hour but many users go through an entire tin daily.
“It costs me Rs 300 a day, but I can’t stop now,” said Murtaza alias Sherry, a barber from Pandorian, Islamabad. “It gives a stronger kick than cigarettes, and no one even notices, not even at work.”
Health experts warn the absence of smoke does not make these products safe.
“They cause gum irritation, swelling and mouth sores,” said Dr Farah Malik, a dental surgeon in Islamabad, in response to an APP query. “Long-term use damages soft tissues, leading to gum disease, oral infections and even tooth loss.”
Some users face graver consequences.
Subhan, a private driver from Rawalpindi, started using the pouches to quit smoking. Within months, he was addicted.
“I used one every hour,” he said. “Later, doctors told me I had pancreatic cancer. Surgery cost me over Rs 2.5 million, and I’m still on chemotherapy.”
Dr Ateeq ur Rehman, a cancer specialist in Islamabad, talking to APP said pancreatic cancer has a survival rate of less than 10 percent when detected late. While there is no proven link between nicotine pouches and pancreatic cancer, he warned prolonged exposure to nicotine can still harm major organs.
“Nicotine is toxic,” he said. “It raises blood pressure, affects the heart, liver and pancreas, and disrupts cell function. Continuous intake — even through smokeless products — increases the risk of chronic disease and possibly cancer.”
Pakistan’s tobacco laws ban the sale of cigarettes to anyone under 18, but nicotine pouches escape scrutiny because they are not classified as tobacco products.
“It’s a dangerous loophole,” said a senior official at the Tobacco Control Cell. “These contain pure nicotine — the same addictive chemical as in cigarettes — yet children can buy them freely.”
Globally, regulators are starting to act. In the United Kingdom, health groups such as Action on Smoking and Health have called for strict packaging and age limits. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing rules after a surge in teenage use.
Doctors and educators in Pakistan warn that without awareness campaigns and clear laws, the problem could escalate fast.
“It’s like naswar or cigarettes the addiction starts quietly but becomes hard to escape,” said Dr Malik. “This one just hides behind a modern image.”
A recent national survey in Pakistan of 14,232 children aged 10-16 found that 3.4 percent of boys and 2.7 percent of girls reported having used nicotine pouches, a higher share than those who reported smoking cigarettes. Nearly one-third of respondents said they would accept a nicotine pouch if offered by a friend, and roughly one in three said they found it “easy” to buy such products. A separate point-of-sale survey found that although nicotine-pouch outlets comprised just 7.9 percent of stores across nine Pakistani districts, nearly 12 percent of those displayed dedicated advertising and many placed the products within reach of children. This underlines how the availability and social normalisation of pouches are contributing to early uptake among youth — a worrying indicator of how widespread the “modern alternative” has become.
As cases of tobacco-related illness rise, experts fear this new form of “smokeless addiction” could spread unchecked — unless authorities move quickly to curb access and inform the public.