Nicotine pouches gain ground among young Danes
Smokeless nicotine products are becoming increasingly common in Denmark, with studies showing a 9 percent increase in use since 2020.
“It’s a 24/7 drug because you can use it even when you sleep”, says Jacob Møller, a special consultant at the Danish Cancer Society. “I’ts easy to use and it’s also easy to hide”, he adds.
As Denmark introduces restrictions on sweet and fruity flavors, nicotine use among young people continues to rise. According to a recent study from the National Institute of Public Health, around 14 percent of 15 to 29-year-olds use nicotine pouches or chewing tobacco either daily or occasionally.
“I use it on a daily basis”, says Emilia Pettersson, a nicotine pouches user who recently moved to Copenhagen. For her, using them does not require a social setting or a break from everyday life. Unlike smoking or vaping, the pouches can be used indoors, on public transportation, and even while studying or working.
The habit can be difficult to break. “It’s 81.2% which say that they feel that they are addicted to using this product,” Møller says.
Line Rosenoern, a Copenhagener non-user in a circle of people who use nicotine pouches, believes many are not “aware of how much damage it does to your teeth and your gums”. Dentists are already seeing dental problems, although the long-term consequences remain less clear.
For Møller, raising awareness also requieres caution. “When you become aware that there's candy in the cupboard, suddenly it becomes interesting”.
With the products’ addictive potential already evident, policymakers face the challenge of preventing a growing habit from becoming normalized.
