France’s Nicotine Pouch Ban Triggers EU Backlash: Seven Countries Push Back
In February 2025, France notified the European Commission of a draft decree proposing a sweeping ban on all nicotine-containing products for oral use—effectively outlawing nicotine pouches. The proposal, submitted under TRIS notification 2025/0110/FR, seeks to prohibit the manufacture, import, export, sale, possession, and use of such products across French territory. If enacted, it would likely become one of the most restrictive national measures ever imposed on a legal consumer good in the EU. Very few, if any, consumer products in the EU are regulated as harshly as nicotine pouches under the French proposal—comparable restrictions typically apply only to substances controlled under criminal law, anti-terror and chemical safety laws, such as heroin or explosive precursors.
The proposal has triggered an unusually strong reaction from other EU Member States. No fewer than seven countries—Sweden, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Greece—have submitted detailed opinions against the French ban. This is an exceptionally high number and indicates serious legal and internal market concerns.
Several of the detailed opinions argue that France’s proposed ban is disproportionate and violates core principles of the EU’s internal market. Sweden emphasized that nicotine pouches are used by many smokers as a harm reduction tool. The Swedish government has long defended the right to allow less harmful alternatives like snus—and by extension, nicotine pouches—especially given the country’s record-low smoking rates.
The large number of detailed opinions automatically triggers an extension of the standstill period by an additional three months. During this time, France must respond to the concerns raised, and the European Commission will assess whether the proposal constitutes an unjustified barrier to trade.
The French government however claims the move is necessary to protect public health, citing concerns about rising use among young people and the risk of nicotine addiction. France argues that these products can affect brain development and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, citing literature on the dangers of nicotine—even when used without combustion or tobacco.
While it is true that those underaged and certain other risk groups should not use any nicotine, they are making a major mistake in comparing the cardiovascular health risks associated with nicotine pouches i.e. mild short-term effects, with the risk from inhalation of smoke from combusted tobacco. The French proposal also seems to have absentmindedly forgotten that the main cause of harm from smoking is cancer and lung disease.
Besides the strong reaction from other member states, industry and academia have also weighed in and submitted a contribution criticizing the ban as excessive, arguing that oral nicotine products have none of the harmful substances found in combustible tobacco and are often manufactured using pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. They stress that France’s move contradicts broader EU efforts to support harm reduction.
The Nordic Nicotine Pouches Alliance (NNPA) strongly condemned the proposal, stating that France is “ignoring both scientific evidence and the lived experience of millions of former smokers who’ve successfully transitioned to less harmful alternatives.” They argue that such a ban could push users back to more dangerous products and create a black market.
France, however, maintains that the ban is compatible with EU law, citing the precedent of the EU-wide snus ban (excluding Sweden). According to the French authorities, the goal is to prevent a new generation from becoming addicted to nicotine but the logic evades anyone looking at the statistics. Blaming nicotine pouches, a comparatively new and minor product in France, for the approximately third of the population smoking is obviously absurd.
The outcome of this clash could set a precedent. If the Commission accepts France’s justification despite widespread opposition, other Member States may be fooled to follow suit. But if the objections succeed, it could reaffirm the EU’s commitment to proportionality, science based policy, public health and the internal market.
One thing is clear: with seven detailed opinions and mounting industry pressure, the debate over nicotine pouches in Europe is far from over.