Our Mission
Considerate Pouchers is an independent, community-led platform representing adult pouch users around the world. We collaborate with organisations that share a comprehensive approach to ending smoking and believe that smoke-free alternatives should be understood, discussed, and regulated with evidence, not fear.
Millions of adults have used pouches as a way to move away from smoking while respecting the people around them: no smoke, no smell, and no disruption. Yet too often, the voices of those consumers are missing from the debate. Decisions are made about pouches without listening to the people who use them, understand them, and depend on access to better alternatives.
Our mission is to make those voices visible. We work to share real experiences, promote accurate information, and inform discussions on sensible rules that respect adult consumers, support informed choice, and keep better alternatives available.
Community Engagement
We give adult pouch users a space to connect, share experiences, and build a stronger community around choice, responsibility, and harm reduction.
Education and Awareness
We share facts, real stories, and evidence to help the public and decision-makers better understand pouches and their role in reducing smoking.
Representation & Advocacy
We inform discussions on the challenges faced by pouchers, including access to variety, clear information, product safety, and availability.
Meet the team
Mariam Gogolishvili
Community Manager
Mariam Gogolishvili is an experienced community organizer and advocate for tobacco harm reduction. Having worked with various NGOs, activist groups, and civil movements across Europe, she is passionate about empowering individuals and promoting sensible policies. After giving up smoking, Mariam turned to nicotine pouches as a safer alternative and is committed to raising awareness about harm reduction options.
Juan Rafael Taborcía
Global Spokesperson
Based in Madrid, Spain, Juan studied Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Universidad Francisco Marroquín.
Before CP, he represented Universidad de las Hespérides, led multiple ventures, gained experience in non-profits and think tanks, and oversaw the news section at ViOne Media.
Juan enjoys discussing innovation, policy, and the future of nicotine alternatives.
Mark Oates
Advisor
Mark founded the Snus & Nicotine Pouch Users Alliance in 2018. He is an avid user of Snus, Nicotine Pouches and is also a Vaper. A keen advocate for harm reduction across the globe, he believes that nicotine pouches have a huge role to play in bringing down the smoking rate particularly in Lower & Middle Income Countries. Day to day he works in the security sector. His favourite Snus is göteborgs rapé and his nicotine pouch of choice is Velo’s Tropic Breeze.
Carissa During
Director Considerate Pouchers Sweden
Carissa studies clinical psychology at Uppsala University in Sweden. She uses nicotine pouches as an alternative to smoking and is keen that the world should know how successful pouches have been in helping Sweden get smoking rates to the lowest in Europe.
Richard Crosby
Director Considerate Pouchers UK
Richard, works in technology focused on web automation and is based in Wales. After almost 15 years of heavy smoking and numerous attempts to quit – he spotted a pack of Nordic Spirit in his local corner shop and ended up quitting smoking within weeks. Bergamot Wildberry from Nordic Spirit was his first and still favourite pouch – but he loves some Lundgrens snus as a treat!
Michael Raetze
Director Considerate Pouchers Germany
Michael works in the telecommunications industry which leads to him travelling around Germany a lot, although he much prefers travelling outside Germany for pleasure. You can also find him enjoying sports and he takes a keen interest in economics.
He started using Swedish Snus but around three years ago switched to nicotine pouches, his favorite pouches are “Velo Polar Mint”.
Dr. Anders Milton
Scientific Advisor
Dr Milton is a physician with a strong track record in public service and health-policy leadership. He previously served as Chair of the World Medical Association, was President & CEO of the Swedish Medical Association, led the Swedish Red Cross, the People and Defence Foundation and the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (SACO).
He oversees several foundations focused on education for children and adolescents, plus a number of life-science companies.
Dr Milton’s experience in healthcare systems, regulation and advocacy aligns with our mission: to represent pouchers, support evidence-based policies and protect access to safer nicotine alternatives.
Prof. Dr Rohan Sequeira
Scientific Advisor
Dr Rohan is a Senior Consultant and Cardio-Metabolic Physician with more than 30 years of international clinical experience. He earned his medical degree from KMC Manipal University and a PhD in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders from Harvard University, and holds several international fellowships in medicine, endocrinology and lifestyle care.
He currently practices at S.L. Raheja Hospital – A Fortis Associate in Mumbai. Dr Rohan also leads Queira Technologies (ClinicJet.com) and serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Internal and Emergency Medicine (Italy).
With his expertise in cardio-metabolic health and preventive medicine, Dr Rohan strengthens our mission to promote science-based harm reduction and support healthier choices for consumers.
FAQs
What is Considerate Pouchers?
Considerate Pouchers is an independent global platform of like-minded adult pouch users who are passionate about protecting access to pouches and ensuring they are not banned or overregulated. We are a growing community with members worldwide, working together to share real experiences, educate society and policymakers, and highlight the role pouches play in people’s lives.
Considerate Pouchers is supported by the Consumer Choice Center and the Snus & Nicotine Pouch Users Alliance. We currently have country leads in Sweden, the UK, and Germany, and we are always looking to grow as more people volunteer in different countries.
What are nicotine pouches?
Nicotine pouches are small, smoke-free pouches that adults place under the lip, where nicotine is absorbed through the oral mucosa. They do not involve burning tobacco, producing smoke, or leaving behind the smell associated with cigarettes.
Most pouches are made from soft, non-woven fibres and contain ingredients such as nicotine, plant-based fibres, binders, water, and flavourings. They come in different strengths, sizes, and flavours, giving adult smokers a discreet, smoke-free alternative to cigarettes.
For adults who would otherwise continue smoking, they can offer a practical way to move away from cigarettes while causing less disruption to the people around them.
Are nicotine pouches safe?
Compared to smoking, nicotine pouches are a dramatically lower-risk alternative for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke.
The key difference is combustion. Cigarettes burn tobacco, creating smoke that contains thousands of harmful chemicals, including tar and carbon monoxide. Nicotine pouches do not burn tobacco, do not produce smoke, and do not expose the lungs or people nearby to cigarette smoke. Toxicant levels in nicotine pouches are substantially lower than in cigarettes and generally comparable to pharmaceutical nicotine products.
That is why pouches matter: they offer adults a smoke-free way to move away from cigarettes without the smoke, smell, tar, or carbon monoxide that drive so much smoking-related disease. While no nicotine product is completely risk-free, the evidence shows that pouches represent a significantly lower-risk alternative for adults who would otherwise continue smoking.
How is Considerate Pouchers funded?
Considerate Pouchers is a consumer-led movement. Our work is made possible through financial support from the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), the Snus and Nicotine Alliance and individual contributions from our community of pouch users and supporters.
Crucially, we do not receive any taxpayer or government funding. This financial independence ensures that our advocacy is driven solely by the needs of consumers, not by political agendas or state interests.
To ensure smokers can successfully make the switch, we advocate for:
Accessibility: Ensuring adult smokers can easily find and purchase these products.
Acceptability: Protecting the variety of flavors that make the transition away from cigarettes successful.
Affordability: Keeping pouches priced as a viable alternative to combustible tobacco.
We remain critical of any entity, whether government or industry, that seeks to limit adult access to these life-saving, regulated products.
How can I support your work?
The best way to support us is by joining our growing community of advocates! You can:
Sign up for our newsletter: Stay informed on the latest legislative updates and consumer news.
Become a member: Join our core group of supporters to help shape the future of pouch advocacy.
Follow us on social media: Join the conversation and stay connected with our daily updates.
Share our content: Help us spread the word by sharing our research and toolkits with your network.
Participate in our surveys: Your data helps us provide a voice to consumers in front of policymakers.
Join thousands of others in committing to responsible use.
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