One in eight of 14- to 17-year-olds in Great Britain say they have used nicotine pouches

Survey adds to experts’ concern about addiction risk and highlights support for plan to ban sales to under-18s

One in eight teenagers aged 14 to 17 have used nicotine pouches, a survey has found, adding to health experts’ concern about their growing popularity.

Users hold the small sachets, which look like mini-teabags and are often flavoured, in their mouths to enjoy the release of the nicotine they contain. They are also known as “snus”.

Unlike smoking the pouches do not raise the risk of cancer, but they have caused alarm because of the fear that users could become addicted to nicotine and suffer mouth and dental problems.

A survey of 500 teenagers aged 14 to 17 in England, Scotland and Wales found that 13% have used a nicotine pouch, of whom 30% said they did so at least once a week. Most get them from friends or buy them in shops, which are not subject to any age restrictions as to who they can sell them to.