Considerate Pouchers is sounding the alarm over sweeping new restrictions approved by Portugal’s Council of Ministers on May 7, 2026, warning that the proposed rules would undermine public health rather than advance it.
The Portuguese government has moved to ban flavours, prohibit online sales, and impose nicotine caps on pouches, all without specifying key thresholds or completing a meaningful consultation with consumers and health experts. This is a troubling development that goes against sensible, evidence-led regulation.
“Nicotine pouches are not cigarettes,” said Juan Rafael Taborcía, Global Spokesperson of Considerate Pouchers. “They are smoke-free and help people live healthier lives. Treating them with the same regulatory heavy hand as combustible products ignores the science and risks pushing adults back to far more dangerous habits. Portugal is better than this.”
The proposal gets some things right: keeping pouches away from minors is a goal we fully share. But the broader package raises serious red flags:
Banning flavours removes one of the primary reasons adult smokers choose pouches over cigarettes.
Banning online sales cuts off access for millions of adults, without evidence this reduces youth consumption.
Deferring nicotine cap levels to a later decree means the most critical detail remains unknown, a blank cheque for future over-regulation.
Considerate Pouchers is calling for an immediate public consultation before any implementing decree is passed, and urges Portuguese media and civil society to scrutinise this legislation carefully.
Adult consumers deserve a seat at the table. We intend to make sure they get one.
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