The new vapes: Aussies switch to illegal nicotine pouches

Experts have raised the alarm over banned oral nicotine products, which remain freely available at convenience stores and could “hook” children

A national ban on vapes has resulted in Australians switching to other illegal nicotine products, which experts warn have the potential to “hook” children on nicotine.

Synthetic nicotine pouches, such as “VELO” or “Zyn”, are being freely sold at convenience stores across Sydney.

The flavoured pouches are generally sold in packs of 20. They are placed in someone’s mouth and absorbed through the lining of the cheek into the bloodstream. One pouch generally has the same amount of nicotine as a cigarette.

The Daily Telegraph visited a number of convenience stores in the Sydney CBD on Wednesday and was able to purchase oral nicotine over the counter without proof of age.

The branded containers, retailing for roughly $25 each, have labels such as: “don’t swallow, don’t chew” and “nicotine is an addictive chemical.”

DAILY TELEGRAPH 25TH SEPTEMBER 2024 Pictured are 3 brands of a chewable tobacco product which is available to purchase at convenience stores. Picture: Richard Dobson

One product warns the pouches are “not recommended for non-smokers” or “young people under 21 years of age”

Associate Professor Becky Freeman, from Sydney University’s School of Public Health warned: “I’m concerned we are seeing a repeat of what happened with vapes. Flavoured and cheap products… clearly being targeted at young people who have never smoked. We need to act decisively and clearly now to prevent yet another product hooking our kids”

Associate Professor Freeman said while the pouches don’t contain tobacco, “this does not mean they are safe” and some “have been found to contain the same cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco products.”

Frequent consumers of oral nicotine have told this masthead the ban on vapes has made them “too expensive and harder to buy”, however nicotine pouches remain easily available.

“I had no idea they were illegal” said one regular user. “Zyns are becoming really common. People are doing it instead of vaping.”

DAILY TELEGRAPH 25TH SEPTEMBER 2024 Pictured are 3 brands of a chewable tobacco product which is available to purchase at convenience stores. Picture: Richard Dobson

Dr Colin Mendelsohn, who has helped people quit tobacco smoking for decades, said the wide variety of accessible illegal nicotine products was more proof that “bans and prohibition don’t work.”

“The black market will find a way… and then you lose all control of quality and safety and you can’t tax or regulate these products” Dr Mendelsohn said.

However he believed “if vapes and pouches weren’t available - would more kids be smoking? And I think the answer is yes. In most jurisdictions where vaping with kids, smoking rates go down.”

In a statement - Federal Health Minister Mark Butler warned “the Albanese Government is both aware and deeply concerned about the rising profile of nicotine pouches being advertised and supplied in Australia that especially targets children and young people.”

Mr Butler also said there had been more than 7.5 million units of “illegal oral tobacco seized so far this year.”

State Health Minister Ryan Park added: “let me be clear, nicotine pouches are illegal in the retail market in Australia. I am particularly concerned that young people are being targeted by the manufacturers of these products.”

The sale of oral nicotine has been illegal in Australia since the early 1990s.