South Australia’s ban on nicotine pouches costing lives

STOCKHOLM, 31 January 2025 – Leading health experts say South Australia’s nicotine pouch ban is another misguided step in Australia’s restrictive tobacco harm reduction policies—one that will cost thousands of lives.

Smoke Free Sweden condemns the prohibition imposed by the Adelaide-based government, which contradicts the evidence-based policies that are dramatically reducing smoking rates in New Zealand, Sweden and other progressive nations.

“South Australia’s ban on nicotine pouches shows a fundamental misunderstanding of harm reduction and ignores real-world success stories from nations embracing safer alternatives,” Smoke Free Sweden leader Dr Delon Human said.

“While New Zealand and Sweden have achieved some of the lowest smoking rates in the world through the acceptance of nicotine pouches and other reduced-risk products, Australia continues to pursue policies that limit adult access to these safer alternatives.”

The ban follows Australia’s already strict vape regulations, where vapes are only available by prescription. As a result, about 90% of the country’s 1.7 million vapers turn to the black market.

Conversely, New Zealand has achieved impressive results due to its forward-thinking approach to tobacco harm reduction. Smoking rates have plummeted by nearly half, from 12.2% to 6.8% in just five years. At the same time, New Zealand has seen a switch from smoking to vaping, with the prevalence of adult daily vaping increasing from 2.6% to 9.7%, with the majority of daily vapers either being ex-smokers or current smokers (dual use).

While New Zealand’s smoking rate has declined, Australia’s smoking rate has remained stagnant at 10.7%, despite having fewer smokers than New Zealand just a decade ago. This means that Australia’s smoking rate is currently 57% higher than New Zealand’s.

Dr Human said: “New Zealand has surpassed Australia in reducing smoking prevalence through its pragmatic policies on reduced-risk alternatives.

“Australia’s prescription-only model for vapes has created a thriving black market rather than controlled access. This new nicotine pouch ban further limits adult choice in smoking cessation options.

“Instead of being given an escape route from their deadly addiction, Australians who smoke are being condemned to carry on smoking combustible cigarettes.

“The time has come for Australian lawmakers to acknowledge that their restrictive policies are not achieving their intended goals. They would save thousands of lives by adopting a more pragmatic approach that prioritises harm reduction over prohibition.”