Concern over Scots pupils using nicotine pouches leads to new course

Ash Scotland, the anti-smoking charity, said a new generation is becoming hooked on the "addictive, health-harming products" following an upsurge in vaping.

A report by the teachers’ union NASUWT found 46 per cent of its members in Scotland said pupils are using nicotine pouches during school.

The new e-learning module by Ash Scotland aims to help teachers and youth workers understand how nicotine pouches can impact on children and young people’s health.

The charity said nicotine addiction can have a greater impact on young people, affecting their brain development and mental health.

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Sheila Duffy, chief executive of Ash Scotland, said: “Our new e-learning module is designed to provide a resource for educators to learn about the negative impacts that nicotine use can have on the lives of children and young people.

“Following the upsurge in youth vaping, a new generation is being attracted into using other addictive, health harming products such as nicotine pouches.

“Drawing in new customers produces huge profits for the tobacco industry, but at a cost to the health and wellbeing of our young people and disruption in the classroom.

“We trust that our new ‘nicotine pouches’ e-learning module will help teachers and youth workers to build their knowledge and confidence to start discussions with children and help them make informed choices about protecting their health and wellbeing.”

According to a survey commissioned by Ash, the percentage of 11-17 year olds who said they knew of the pouches grew from 38 per cent in 2024 to 43 per cent last year.

The survey indicated nearly 4 per cent of children in this age group had tried a nicotine pouch, equivalent to 210,000 young people.

Ash defines nicotine pouches as “teabag-like pouches filled with a fibrous white powder infused with nicotine and other ingredients such as sweeteners and flavourings”.

They are placed in the top lip, where they release their nicotine and flavour. Nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco, and so differ from snus - loose tobacco or tobacco in a pouch which is also placed in the mouth, and which has a long history of use in Scandinavia.

The latter is banned across the EU and UK.

In Scotland and the UK, nicotine pouches are currently not covered by tobacco or e-cigarette regulations, but new regulations are being introduced as part of the UK government’s Tobacco and Vapes Act.

Mike Corbett, NASUWT national official for Scotland, said: “Teachers know that nicotine pouches are being consumed within schools by pupils and have expressed serious concern that national regulation of nicotine products has failed to keep pace with innovation by the companies selling them.

“The recently published guidance for schools on how to address substance abuse among pupils was welcomed but this is only a first step.

“We need a greater emphasis on prevention and early intervention at all ages to stop children and young people from being drawn in to nicotine pouch use.

“NASUWT has therefore welcomed the e-learning materials from Ash Scotland as one part of a wider systemic response needed to tackle substance misuse in schools.”