I propose to take Questions Nos. 1581, 1582, 1583, 1584, 1585, 1586 and 1587 together.
Nicotine pouches are currently not covered by domestic or EU tobacco control legislation, with some Member States classifying them as either a foodstuff or medicine. The regulation of nicotine pouches is being discussed at EU level, both in terms of how these products are categorised and in the context of the review of the Tobacco Products Directive. An EU public consultation was carried out in 2023 to gain views on further regulation of novel products such as nicotine pouches, and a proposal from the EU Commission is expected this year.
It is understood that prevalence of nicotine pouch use remains extremely low in the adult population across the EU. Data on adolescent use of nicotine pouches in Ireland will be collected as part of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) in 2024. There is very little independent evidence available regarding any health harms from nicotine pouches, though they contain nicotine which is an addictive substance. My Department continues to monitor any emerging evidence regarding these products.