Top News: A Million Nicotine Pouches Seized By Australian Border Police

Nathan Chilcott

The Law

In December 2024, the Australian authorities arrested 13 people and seized 2.34 tonnes of cocaine. It had an approximate street value of $760 million.

The same year, between January and June, the Australian border police seized 1.3 million boxes of nicotine pouches.

Surprisingly, the publicity about these two events was similar.

Why Seizing Nicotine Pouches Is Such A Big Story

The nicotine pouch industry may not like it, but what is seen as a viable smoking alternative in other countries is illegal in Australia.

Illegal nicotine pouches have become a major issue for the authorities. The only way you can legally buy these pouches is with a doctor’s prescription. Without one, buying, selling, or even advertising nicotine pouches is illegal.

"In other words, nicotine pouches are seen as being on par with cocaine.”

This is due, in part, to the addictive nature of nicotine pouches. Nicotine is addictive, and health officials are concerned that they are creating future health issues for a new generation.

The array of nicotine pouch flavours is deemed to make the pouches more attractive to young people. That’s why several countries, such as Canada, are now banning specific flavours of nicotine pouches.

Alongside this, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says it has not found any strong evidence that nicotine pouches can help you quit smoking or vaping. For this reason, the pouches have not been approved for sale.

Pouches have been placed in the same category as much stronger drugs, like cocaine. This means importing them illegally and selling or using them is illegal and will face strong punishment.

In short, they receive the same publicity as cocaine busts because the authorities see them both in the same light.

The Problems Faced By the Authorities

It’s illegal to import, sell, or even advertise nicotine pouches. Yet, everyone in Australia knows about them.

The reason this is the case is that nicotine pouches make regular appearances on social media. Influencers, both Australian and other nationalities, regularly promote them.

Influencers don’t sell nicotine pouches, but they do provide links to those that do. Unfortunately, sites which sell them advertise them as being legal.

That means people can order pouches and, thanks to discreet packaging, even receive them despite them being illegal.

In most cases, the pouches are being imported by businesses looking to sell them on via the black market.

The Solution

While health authorities are concerned about nicotine pouches, perhaps it’s time they took a leaf out of someone else’s book.

In most countries across Europe, nicotine pouches are legal with restrictions on age and perhaps flavours. This approach allows industry leaders to sell their pouches.

That makes a difference as it is much easier to police official suppliers. It would save the government money and allow the health authorities to create programmes designed to help people using nicotine pouches as a means of weaning themselves off smoking.

Summing Up

While the seizure of 1.3 million packets of nicotine pouches is significant, the authorities need to ask themselves whether this is really the best way forward.

Thanks to social media, people are still purchasing the pouches. Making them illegal doesn’t stop people from buying them; it simply increases the risk of poor-quality products and associated health issues.

Perhaps it's time the Australian government took another look at their current legislation.

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We make every effort to ensure the information published on our website is accurate and up-to-date. Our blog is provided for information only. It is not intended as medical advice.