Is your teen using nicotine pouches? In light of health concerns, we want to hear from you

While no sales data is available in Canada showing the popularity of a new smoking cessation product, anti-smoking advocates and some government officials are worried it may create a new generation of nicotine addicts.

Imperial Tobacco Canada has been selling a brand of nicotine pouches called Zonnic in Canada since October. In an email to CTVNews.ca, it said it does “not disclose confidential information” about sales because it’s a private company.

In the United States, sales have soared for Zyn, a tobacco-free nicotine pouch, with about 350 million cans that have shipped in 2023, CNN reported. Maker Philip Morris says its product isn’t available in Canada yet.

Sarah Butson, spokesperson for Ottawa-based Canadian Lung Association, echoed concerns from anti-smoking advocates that nicotine may get youth addicted and the candy-like packaging and flavours of nicotine pouches may appeal to them. Researchers say nicotine is a highly addictive drug.

“One of the primary concerns is that children of very young ages may use these products, perhaps not even realizing that they are using a drug like nicotine,” Butson said in an email to CTVNews.ca. “Dependence can develop quickly at a young age and so the concern would be a lifetime dependence on nicotine, and the potential to transition to other products like vaping and/or traditional cigarettes.”

She said because the products are new, the implications of using nicotine pouches for non-cessation purposes are uncertain.

“We have seen with vaping products that if we wait to act we run the risk of having a new generation addicted to these products,” Butson said. “Tougher action at the federal level would ensure that all young people regardless of where they reside were protected from early access to these products.”

Ottawa restricted the promotion of vaping products in places youth can access in 2020 amid research showing teen vaping was becoming popular in Canada, The Canadian Press reported.

Looking for data

CTVNews.ca wants to hear from readers, such as parents, school staff, health-care professionals and youth in Canada, about this topic.

Is your child, or a child you know, into nicotine pouches? As a parent, how do you feel about it and are you concerned about potential health impacts? How has using nicotine pouches affected your child?

If you work in the education or health-care fields, are you seeing these products being used? Do you have concerns?

What do you think should be done in Canada regarding products meant to help adults stop smoking?

Share your story by emailing us at dotcom@bellmedia.ca with your name, general location and phone number in case we want to follow up. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.

Imperial Tobacco Canada defends product

Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITCAN) said its products are available in retail outlets selling cigarettes across Canada, except for Quebec, where they are sold in pharmacies.

British Columbia last week announced new regulations that will make it harder for minors to buy Zonnic by requiring the nicotine pouches to be sold behind a pharmacy counter rather than on convenience store shelves.

“We continue to work on expanding our footprint in pharmacies in the rest of Canada as soon as possible,” ITCAN said in an email to CTVNews.ca.

In a press release Thursday, ITCAN said its new nicotine replacement therapy product underwent a two-year review process with Health Canada. It said Zonnic is “the first and only nicotine pouch” in Canada authorized for sale as a smoking cessation product by Health Canada.

Tammy Jarbeau, a spokesperson for Health Canada, told CTVNews.ca in an email that the government approved Zonnic as a natural health product for smoking cessation for adults 18 years and older in July 2023 “based on the evidence supporting its safety, efficacy, and quality as a nicotine replacement therapy for use by adults only, who are looking to stop smoking.”

“There was no loophole in the way ZONNIC’s license was granted. Health Canada did its due diligence and now Canadians who smoke have a new and effective way to quit,” said Eric Gagnon, vice-president of corporate and regulatory affairs at ITCAN, in the press release Thursday. “The loophole is that there is no legal minimum age set for NRTs, so kids can walk into a store and buy these products. That is the real problem.”

Gagnon said the company “has gone above and beyond to ensure ZONNIC is only marketed and sold to adults.”

Health Canada said it is working on regulatory and policy measures to prevent youth from accessing nicotine products to address concerns from health-care professionals.