Nicotine Pouch Use in Great Britain: What the Research Shows

Nicotine Pouch Use in Great Britain: What the Research Shows

By QOLA Editorial Team · 3 min read

Nicotine pouch use increased in Great Britain between 2020 and 2025. But what does that tell us about who uses pouches, smoking habits and the questions researchers still need to answer?

A study published online in The Lancet Public Health in December 2025 provides useful context. This article explains its findings alongside a Cochrane evidence review.

Key Takeaways

• Adult nicotine pouch use rose from 0.1% in October 2020 to 1.0% in March 2025.
• Most pouch users also used other nicotine products.
• More people reported using pouches in quit attempts, but their effectiveness for smoking cessation remains uncertain.

On This Page

• What did the study examine?
• How common was nicotine pouch use?
• Were users switching away from smoking?
• Can nicotine pouches help people quit smoking?
• What should readers take from the findings?

What Did the Study Examine?

Researchers analysed responses from 127,793 people in the Smoking Toolkit Study between October 2020 and March 2025. The survey covered England, Scotland and Wales—not Northern Ireland. Participants were aged 16 and over, with 16–17-year-olds included from January 2022. 1

This was a repeated cross-sectional study: different people were surveyed each month. It describes population patterns rather than tracking each person's experience over time.

How Common Was Nicotine Pouch Use?

Among adults, current use increased from 0.1% to 1.0% over the study period. UCL estimated the latter figure represented approximately 522,000 adults. Growth was concentrated among younger people, particularly young men; use among people aged 35 and over showed no meaningful change. 1, 2

These are historical survey estimates, not a live count of users in 2026. Increasing use also does not establish a product's safety or effectiveness.

Were Users Switching Away From Smoking?

Among pouch users surveyed from January 2022 to March 2025:

These categories overlap and should not be added together. Never having smoked regularly also does not necessarily mean someone had never used nicotine. 1

The findings show that pouch use cannot automatically be interpreted as a complete switch away from cigarettes.

Can Nicotine Pouches Help People Quit Smoking?

Among people who had attempted to quit smoking in the previous year, reported pouch use during their most recent attempt rose from 2.6% to 6.5%. This measures the use of pouches in quit attempts—not successful quitting. 1

A separate Cochrane review, published in October 2025, included four small studies involving 284 people. Its evidence search was current to January 2025. The authors found insufficient evidence to establish whether pouches help people quit compared with minimal or no intervention. 3

Three studies reporting serious adverse events recorded none, but the small samples and short follow-up cannot establish long-term safety. Larger, longer trials are needed. 3

What Should Readers Take From the Findings?

The research highlights two distinct questions: how nicotine pouches are being used, and what effects that use has. Survey data help answer the first; stronger clinical and long-term evidence is needed for the second.

For background on the products, read What Are Nicotine Pouches?. For the distinction between tobacco-containing snus and tobacco-free pouches, see Snus vs Nicotine Pouches.

Nicotine is addictive. Nicotine pouches are not risk-free. QOLA products are for adults aged 18+ who already use nicotine. People who do not use nicotine should not start.

Sources

1. Tattan-Birch H et al. Oral nicotine pouch use in Great Britain: a repeat cross-sectional study, 2020–25. The Lancet Public Health. Published online 16 December 2025; January 2026 issue. Study abstract.
2. University College London. Nicotine pouch rise driven by young men. 17 December 2025. Research summary.
3. Hartmann-Boyce J et al. Oral nicotine pouches for cessation or reduction of use of other tobacco or nicotine products. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 24 October 2025. Review abstract.