On 25 October 2025, Sweden will become the first country in the EU to meet the World Health Organization’s definition of a smoke-free society – with fewer than five percent of the population smoking daily. This milestone is the result of a pragmatic public health strategy that prioritises access to smoke–free alternatives such as snus […]

Around the world, countries that regulate safer nicotine alternatives are seeing smoking rates fall. From Sweden’s snus legacy to the UK’s vaping-first strategy, the evidence is clear: people quit smoking when governments support harm reduction. But while many countries are refining their policies based on new evidence that alternatives work, the EU is preparing to […]

At the finance ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg, Sweden’s Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson made a strong stand against the EU’s proposal for a drastic tax increase on nicotine pouches. Sweden remains firm on its principle: taxation should be based on the harm of the product – not political budget needs. The European Commission has put forward […]

A leak from the EU Commission to Pouch Patrol shows that the Commission is working on a comprehensive regulatory framework that will form the EU’s official position at the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) during COP11 in Switzerland this November. The proposals go further than what the FCTC Secretariat itself recommends – and […]

France’s decision to ban nicotine pouches has triggered a diplomatic offensive from Sweden. The government warns that national bans threaten both public health and the free movement of goods within the EU. Background: France’s Hard Line France has decided to introduce a total ban on nicotine pouches – not only sales, but also possession and […]

In Denmark, several major health organisations want to ban all sales of tobacco and nicotine by 2035. But Health Minister Sophie Løhde says no – a total ban breaches EU rules. Still, the debate rages on, with proposals for higher prices, fewer retailers, and raising the purchase age to 25. But do bans really work? […]

At Pouch Patrol, we are committed to tracking and amplifying every step forward in the fight for smarter, science-based nicotine policy across Europe. Haypp Group, one of Europe’s leading e-commerce retailers for nicotine pouches and harm reduction products, has officially submitted its feedback to the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan. This submission is more than just […]

The Swedish government’s 2026 budget proposal introduces a series of tobacco policy changes aimed at improving public health by focusing on harm reduction rather than simply reducing overall nicotine use as for example France is planning. The plan draws a clear distinction between combustible tobacco products like cigarettes and smoke-free alternatives such as snus and […]

A new Rutgers University study has found that nicotine pouch use is most common among adults who have recently quit smoking or vaping. The findings, based on data from more than 110,000 U.S. adults between 2022 and 2023, suggest that many users are turning to pouches as an alternative after leaving cigarettes or e-cigarettes behind. […]

France has been flirting with the idea of banning oral nicotine, and on September 5, 2025, they made it official. Starting in March 2026, even having a can in your pocket when you step off the train could lead to hundreds of euros in fines, with much more severe penalties for importers and sellers. This […]