Pouch Patrol today announces the first-ever Ostrich Award, a satirical prize for policymakers who ignore clear evidence on tobacco harm reduction. This year’s recipient: EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, who recently declared:  “The WHO has observed that nicotine-containing products, in particular e-cigarettes and nicotine sachets, generate substances known to cause cancer and expose users to […]

A new report from the Nordic Council contains compelling evidence that smokeless nicotine products—such as snus and nicotine pouches—are not a gateway to smoking. In fact, they appear to be helping drive smoking rates down across the region. What is the Gateway Hypothesis? The hypothesis originated in the 1970s–1980s in drug policy debates and was […]

The 2025 E-Cigarette Summit on Science, Regulation, & Public Health brought together leading scientists, public health experts, and policymakers to explore the latest evidence and debate on nicotine, vaping, and tobacco harm reduction. This year’s (13th!) agenda included sessions covering regulatory developments, scientific advances, and public health impacts. It marks the last year of the […]

According to information received by Pouch Patrol, the new proposal from Denmark is not a compromise, but rather a declaration of war. The Danish Presidency is pursuing the Commission’s agenda, or possibly its own, rather than seeking to unite Europe. A breakdown is to be expected at Thursday’s decision-making meeting. 1. The ‘revised’ proposal does […]

When the World Health Organization’s eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP11) on the tobacco convention concluded, it became clear that several issues, including nicotine pouches, were postponed for the future. There was no global ban, but neither was there a final position. These questions have now been deferred to the next COP in two years, […]

Despite weeks of intense negotiations in Brussels and a clear decision by the Member States not to include bans on new nicotine products in the EU’s mandate for COP11, the Danish Presidency and the European Commission are now pushing for sweeping restrictions at the WHO tobacco convention in Geneva. What is the Swedish delegation doing […]

Secret negotiations are currently taking place in Geneva regarding the future of nicotine pouches. These discussions are happening under the framework of the WHO’s FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) during the COP 11 conference. After the EU collectively agreed to allow nicotine pouches throughout the Union, Denmark, together with prohibition-driven Brazil, is now pushing […]

EU Member States have agreed not to push for bans on safer nicotine products at the WHO’s tobacco control summit, COP11. This decision comes after a large group of countries refused to accept the Commission’s original proposal, which included support for “strong regulation of ENDS/ENNDS and nicotine pouches, which could include a ban.”   “Ban” […]

As the EU now discusses sharply increased taxes on tobacco and nicotine products, the debate has become intense. According to an article in Politico, thousands of comments have poured in to the EU. An overwhelming majority express criticism of the tax hikes, using arguments such as risk reduction and concern about illegal trade. The article […]

EU health ministers have reached an historic agreement to tackle cardiovascular disease, the number one killer in Europe claimining more than1.7 million lives every year. Backed by the European Commission, the new plan includes a dedicated EU action plan for cardiovascular health, part of the wider Healthier Together initiative to fight non-communicable diseases. The goal […]