Unregulated nicotine can be easily sourced throughout Waterford City
Nicotine pouches
Nicotine pouches are popping up all over Waterford, but according to the Department of Health, they are entirely unregulated.
Under brand names like Nordic Spirit, Peak or Velo these pouches can be purchased from newsagents, sweetshops and vape shops across the city and online.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the Waterford News and Star that there is no regulation on the sale of nicotine pouches.
But they are monitoring the research.
“Nicotine pouches are currently not covered by domestic or EU tobacco control legislation," said the spokesperson.
“The regulation of nicotine pouches is being discussed at EU level, both in terms of how these products are categorised and in the context of the review of the Tobacco Products Directive. There is little independent evidence available regarding any health harms from nicotine pouches, though they contain nicotine which is an addictive substance.
“The Department of Health will continue to monitor any emerging evidence regarding these products."
While the pouches are tobacco-free, they do contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance.
Each tin contains around 20 pouches.
One brand, Nordic Spirit, strength three contains 9mg per pouch.
Strength three in Peak contains 12mg per pouch.
For comparison, an electronic cigarette or vape contains 20mg per container.
A vape can contain around 600 puffs and the instructions on an Elfbar 600 are 10-15 puffs per use.
According to a 2023 explainer in The Guardian, there is between 8mg and 20mg of nicotine in a cigarette.
But only a small amount, around 1-2mg, of that is inhaled.
Nicotine pouches are placed under the upper lip and can be kept in the mouth for up to 30 minutes.
The Waterford News and Star looked at lines from two of the most common brands Nordic Spirit and Peak.
Both were strength three and both were a mint flavour.
The ingredients listed varied but both contained nicotine, sweeteners and flavourings.
These included Xylitol, acesulfame, mannitol and glycerol.
Other ingredients present were stabilisers, antacids and substances to reduce water.
Nicotine pouches are relatively new, hitting the US market between 2015 and 2016 and the UK market in 2019, so research is scant.
However, a 2024 study published in the journal, Nicotine and Tobacco Research looked at what studies there are on the effects of Oral Nicotine Products (ONPs) on public health.
They found that most studies were industry-funded and said that independent research was needed so regulators could make evidence-based public health decisions.
They also said while the pouches appeared to be less toxic than cigarettes, they were concerned about young people taking them up or dual use.
Another study last year and in the same journal found that ONPs with more sweetener led to higher nicotine consumption in mice.
They also found that the higher the nicotine content, the more sweetener was in the product.
This is likely to mask the taste of the chemicals.
The team examined the effects of two US brands that contained acesulfame-K and sucrose.
The researchers believe sweeteners would make the pouches more appealing, especially to younger consumers.
“Sweetness, as imparted by artificial sweeteners in tobacco products, needs to be addressed by regulators as a component of a characterizing flavour, with the aim to reduce product appeal and initiation by never users, and especially youth attracted to sweet flavours,” wrote the researchers.
A 2022 study published again in Nicotine and Tobacco Research looked at use in Great Britain between 2020 and 2021.
The researchers found that use had doubled over the year.
Use was four times more common in men and more common in those who do or have smoked both cigarettes and e-cigarettes compared to never-smokers.
According to WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer, nicotine is not in and of itself a carcinogen but it is highly addictive.
But for certain groups it is dangerous.
For people who are pregnant, nicotine has been linked to miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm birth, as well as several pregnancy-related health conditions.
Nicotine is also harmful to young people under 18, with links to attention and learning difficulties, mental health conditions and use of other substances.
All products we examined for this report contained warnings for pregnant people and those under 18.
The vapes contained an information leaflet, but neither nicotine pouch product came with a sheet.
The Waterford News and Star contacted Peak and Nordic Spirit for comment.
We asked what 'toxic if swallowed' and 'harmful if swallowed' (as warned on their packs) meant and what guidelines they follow for the same manufacturing of their products.
A spokesperson for for JTI Ireland, the manufacturer of Nordic Spirit said: “Nordic Spirit nicotine pouches provide a tobacco-free alternative to cigarettes and e-cigarettes for adult smokers and vapers. They should not be sold or marketed to anyone under 18 years of age.
"The 18+ age restriction is displayed on all products along with a health warning, and we work with our trade partners to prevent youth access to these products. We adhere strictly to responsible marketing principles which place youth access prevention at the core, and all of our packaging and communications are clearly marked as being for adult consumption only.
"Nordic Spirit products are currently available in three strength options: 6mg of nicotine per pouch, 9mg per pouch and 11mg per pouch. We believe these options are sufficient to satisfy existing adult nicotine consumers’ preferences.
"Nordic Spirit products are manufactured In the EU to the highest standard at our factories in Sweden and Poland and fully comply with applicable laws, including the EU General Product Safety Regulations. Nordic Spirit is not intended to be swallowed. The warning on the packaging is required by the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulations.”
Peak had not responded at time of publication.
Last year Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore urged the Government to include the regulation of nicotine pouches in proposed legislation to ban disposable vapes.
Her call came after the Association of Principals and Assistant Principals urged the HSE to issue an advisory note on the product due to the prevalence in schools.
“However, I am deeply disappointed that the Minister for Health has not used this opportunity to include the regulation of nicotine pouches in the proposed legislation.
“These pouches come in the form of small bags and contain highly addictive nicotine, among other ingredients. The product, which is placed under the user’s lip and up against the gum, is sometimes branded as a safer alternative to smoking. In reality, it should be viewed as a gateway to nicotine dependency.
“Much like vaping, we have seen increased use of these pouches by young people under the age of 18. They pose a serious risk to the health and wellbeing of children and are contributing to rising nicotine addiction in Ireland," said Ms Whitmore.
While vapes are brightly coloured, nicotine pouches are discreet and held in the mouth.
So, for young people they may be easier to hide.
Vapes also do not contain tobacco but are somewhat regulated.
The current guidelines from the HSE only apply to nicotine-inhaling products.
Those guidelines help retailers to remain to follow the EU (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco Related Products) Regulations 2016 (as amended).
Vapes cannot contain more than 20mg or two per cent concentration of nicotine.
Packaging must be child and tamper-proof.
Health warnings must be in English and Irish.
They cannot be sold to young people under 18 years.
They must be accompanied by an information leaflet outlining the harmful health effects, contact information for the manufacturer or importer and an EU contact.
Retailers who do not comply with the regulations may face a fine of up to €4,000.
The importation of vape products also comes with its own set of rules.
However, while there are rules around the importation and selling of vape products, the practice is not well enforced.
The Journal.ie found in January that expired, improperly labelled and illegally imported vapes were on sale widely across Dublin.
Following the Journal’s investigation in Dublin, the Waterford News and Star visited some of the shops selling vaping products in Waterford City.
We were able to buy vapes that were out of date, did not have the proper warning labels and did not have an EU contact as required.
This indicated these products may not have been intended to be sold in Ireland.
These products were on display and sometimes in the shop windows.
The HSE National Environmental Health Service (NEHS) is charged with the implementation of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling) Act 2023, together with the transposed Tobacco Products Directive.
They told the Waterford News and Star that they operate a targeted market surveillance programme across the supply chain, at ports and through distribution to retail shops.
As well as that, NEHS produces leaflets informing importers and retailers of their obligations.
In 2023, the NEHS started working with Customs and Revenue to develop a strategic approach to dealing with non-compliant electronic cigarettes and refill containers at import level.
In 2024, NEHS and Customs and Revenue prevented 26.6 tonnes (37.8 tonnes in 2023) of non-compliant vaping products from entering Ireland.
Last year, 17 prohibition notices were issued to retailers selling high nicotine or electronic cigarettes that did not meet legal volume limits.
The HSE destroyed 2225 electronic cigarettes that were subject to these enforcement notices.
That is up from eight notices in 2023 and 1116 destruction orders.
In 2024, the HSE destroyed 2225 electronic cigarettes that were subject to these enforcement notices.
"The NEHS will continue to give its market surveillance and enforcement work in this area high priority in 2025," said a HSE spokesperson.
In the course of our investigation, WNS found that there was little by way of information for consumers.
The EU Safe Gate system does have a database for specific electronic cigarette brand warnings and recalls.
But the system is difficult to use.
A person needs to put in ‘electronic cigarette’ into the search and not vape.
The system has warnings going back years.
The batch number and manufacturing number are often conflated on the warning system and separate on the product box.
This means customers may not know if the brand or product is what the warning is referring to.
The fact that illegal vapes are so prevalent may also confuse consumers.
Adding to that the products are boxes in cabinets where the packaging is hard to examine.
The best way to identify a problem with your vape product is the warning label.
This must be in English and Irish and will be around a third of the packet.
If it’s not, then the product is likely not intended for the Irish market and may not be safe to use.
One of the vapes we purchased (Elfbar) had an Irish flag on the side of it.
This vape was in line with all regulations for packaging.
So for consumers, markers like these are one to look out for.
In September 2024, the Government approved the introduction of new regulations on vaping products.
Shops will be prohibited from point of sale display and advertising, except for those who only or primarily sell vaping products.
There will be new restrictions on colours and imagery so products don't look like toys or games and flavours will also be restricted.
Only basic flavour names will be allowed.
And, the bill will ban the import, manufacture and sale of disposable vapes.
