Abstract
New research from the University of Otago suggests many young people feel concerned that oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) may increase use of nicotine products rather than support smoking or vaping cessation.
Social media marketing presents ONPs as safe, discreet and desirable and, although ONPs cannot be legally sold in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), young people have little difficulty accessing the products. Although many young people urgently want help to stop vaping, the lack of robust independent evidence documenting ONPs’ safety and effectiveness as cessation aids suggests NZ should adopt a precautionary approach to their regulation, either by maintaining current sales restrictions or by allowing only therapeutic sales routes. Developing youth-oriented vaping cessation services should also be an urgent priority.