In recent years, a quiet but concerning trend has emerged among teenagers and young adults across the UK and the United States: the rising use of nicotine and caffeine pouches. These small, discreet packets—often resembling tiny pillows—are placed between the lip and gum, delivering a potent dose of nicotine or caffeine without the smoke, vapor, or obvious paraphernalia associated with traditional cigarettes or energy drinks.
Take Finn, a 17-year-old from the UK, who shared his experience with nicotine pouches, commonly called snus. "I pick up a small, white, teabag-like pouch from a brightly colored tin and place it between my upper lip and gum," he explained. The pouches he uses contain a staggering 150 milligrams of nicotine—far more than a typical cigarette. "It's the burn at first," Finn said. "You feel this burning sensation against your gums, and then you get the hit." The impact is so strong that sometimes he and his friends use two or three at once, even until they vomit. He recalled an episode at school when the nicotine’s effect was so intense he was "sweating, salivating and struggling to concentrate," prompting his teacher to notice his "bright green" complexion and send him out of class.
Finn's story isn't isolated. According to figures obtained by BBC News, nicotine pouch use among 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK has nearly quadrupled—from less than 1% in 2022 to 3.6% in 2024. These pouches are widely available online, in supermarkets, and corner shops, costing around £5 for a pack of 20. They come in exotic flavors and varying strengths, ranging from 1.5mg to the extreme 150mg doses Finn described. Unlike cigarettes, vapes, and alcohol, there is no legal minimum age to purchase these pouches, nor are there restrictions on nicotine strength.
Kate Pike, the lead officer for tobacco and vaping at Trading Standards, expressed growing alarm over the situation. "I've heard of children as young as 11 or 12 nipping to shops and buying them," she said. Pike’s organization has received increasing reports from parents and teachers about nicotine pouches being sold to children, but frustratingly, current regulations offer little protection. She urged the government to prioritize the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which, if enacted, would ban sales of nicotine pouches to anyone under 18 and restrict their promotion to minors.
Despite the high nicotine content, these pouches are not required to carry the warning "This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance." Moreover, pouches containing more than 16.7mg of nicotine should display a skull and crossbones symbol and list chemical components in English under general product safety regulations. However, these rules are often ignored, with Trading Standards seizing thousands of illegal products across the UK.
While nicotine pouches are considered less harmful than cigarettes—because they avoid inhaling chemicals into the lungs—they are not without risk. University College London's senior researcher Harry Tattan-Birch described them as the "least harmful way" to ingest nicotine, but only if used by smokers or vapers aiming to quit. For first-time users, especially young people, the risks may outweigh any benefits.
One of the most alarming health concerns is the damage these pouches inflict on gums. Finn recounted how his mouth was "shredded to bits," even peeling off half his gum at one point. Dr. Patric Saraby, a Swedish dentist practicing in Bournemouth, has treated patients with gum lesions so severe that the roots of their teeth were visible. He has researched nicotine pouches for two years and warns of increased risks of localized gum disease and bone loss. In Sweden, where tobacco-based snus originated, 25% of 16 to 29-year-olds use pouches, and dentists report growing numbers of patients suffering from painful gum inflammation that can take months or years to heal.
A five-year study recently launched at the University of Gothenburg, led by oral medicine specialist Dr. Gita Gale, aims to uncover why white snus causes more damage than traditional tobacco products. Gale described the situation as "alarming," given the widespread use and limited understanding of long-term effects.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, a parallel trend is emerging with caffeine pouches. David Gomez, a school resource officer in Idaho, began noticing students using caffeine pouches in the spring of 2024, often alongside or disguised as nicotine pouches like Zyn. These caffeine pouches, which can contain over 200 milligrams of caffeine—equivalent to two cups of coffee—are used similarly, placed between the lip and gum for a quick, hands-free energy boost.
The caffeine pouch market is growing rapidly. Richard Mumby, the marketing executive behind the e-cigarette Juul, which was heavily criticized for sparking a teen vaping epidemic, is now involved with a startup called Wip. Wip and its competitors market caffeine pouches as convenient, portable, and affordable alternatives to traditional caffeinated beverages. Their products come in flavors like mint, strawberry kiwi, and sour cherry, with each pouch delivering either 100 or 200 milligrams of caffeine.
However, the health effects of caffeine pouches remain poorly studied. Rob van Dam, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at George Washington University, cautioned that the rapid onset and potency of caffeine from pouches might increase the risk of overdose, especially for those unaccustomed to such doses. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that teens consume no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine daily or avoid it altogether. Yet, social media marketing—especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram—often glamorizes these products, sometimes explicitly targeting younger audiences.
Medical data underscores the risks. From 2022 to 2023, America’s Poison Centers reported a 24% increase in calls related to energy drink consumption among people under 20. Pediatric emergency room visits linked to caffeine roughly doubled between 2017 and 2023, although such incidents remain rare. Dr. Mark Corkins, chair of the AAP’s Committee on Nutrition, expressed concern not only about caffeine toxicity but also about the underlying sleep deprivation that might drive young people to consume excessive stimulants.
Some caffeine pouch brands, like Grinds, have been around for about 15 years, initially targeting niche markets such as baseball players seeking alternatives to chewing tobacco. Business has steadily grown, with the number of caffeine pouch brands ballooning from a couple dozen to around 50-60 in recent years. Yet, this expansion has created a "gray zone" where legal marketing sometimes crosses ethical boundaries, especially when influencers—some appearing to be teenagers—promote these products to students. A TikTok influencer even asked, "Can you pop a lower decky in school?" referring to caffeine pouches, highlighting their discreet use among youths.
Stanford Medicine professor emeritus Dr. Robert Jackler, who studies tobacco industry advertising, sees eerie parallels between the marketing tactics of Wip and those of Juul. Both rely heavily on social media influencers and lifestyle branding aimed at young people, raising red flags about potential youth targeting. Wip, however, insists it adheres to responsible marketing guidelines exceeding industry standards and is intended only for adults 18 and over.
Experts also worry about the oral health implications of caffeine pouches. Routinely placing foreign substances between the lips and gums can lead to gum recession and dental issues, much like nicotine pouches. Moreover, the combined use of nicotine and caffeine pouches may exacerbate cardiovascular risks, a concern given some users alternate between the two.
Despite these warnings, caffeine pouches have not yet reached the ubiquity of nicotine pouches or energy drinks in schools. An estimated 64% of teenagers have tried energy drinks, while about 5% have tried nicotine pouches, with little data available on caffeine pouch use among youths. Still, the rapid growth and aggressive marketing of these products suggest that vigilance and regulation are urgently needed.
The UK government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently progressing through the House of Lords, aims to ban the sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s and restrict their promotion to children. This legislative effort is seen as a crucial step to prevent the next generation from becoming addicted to nicotine. Similarly, public health advocates in the US are calling for clearer regulations and age restrictions on caffeine pouches to protect young consumers from potential harm.
For Finn and many others caught in the grip of nicotine pouches, the experience is sobering. "I just got bored of vaping, and now I'm stuck on these," he admitted. "All I could think about was how much I needed it—it got too much. Snus is so much harder to kick than vaping. My advice? Don't bother with any of it in the first place. Nicotine traps you." As these new forms of stimulant delivery continue to evolve and spread, the challenge for regulators, educators, and families is clear: to stay ahead of the curve and safeguard young people from addiction and health risks that are only beginning to be understood.
