Campaign Letter Response: Department of Health and Social Care

In November 2025, Richard Crosby, UK Director of Considerate Pouchers write to The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP in his capacity as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to highlight the 20isplenty campaign and the need for sensible nicotine pouch regulation.

Below you can see the response from the Department of Health and Social Care –

Dear Mr Crosby,

Thank you for your correspondence of 26 November to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about the regulation of nicotine. I have been asked to reply.

I appreciate your concerns and suggestions.

The Government is committed to ensuring that public health policy is evidence-based and proportionate. As you rightly point out, nicotine pouches are likely to pose lower health risks than smoking, because they do not involve inhaling harmful substances produced by burning tobacco, such as tar and carbon monoxide. However, due to their high nicotine content, fast absorption and their potential to be flavoured, nicotine pouches have a potential to lead to nicotine dependence. Young people are more susceptible to the addictive effects of nicotine as their brains are still developing. As such, they should never use these products. That is why the Government is concerned about the recent rise in the use of these products amongst young people, particularly amongst young men.

To address this, the Government is taking action through the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The Bill will create a smoke-free generation and protect future generations from the harms of tobacco and nicotine addiction. The Bill is progressing through Parliament and has completed committee stage. The Bill currently already distinguishes nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, as their own category, separate from both Tobacco and Vaping Products.

The Government plans to use the new regulation-making powers put forward in this Bill, such as on flavours and ingredients, packaging, and display, as soon as possible after the Bill receives Royal Assent. This is part of a co-ordinated and comprehensive approach across the four nations to tackle the harms associated with use of tobacco and clamp down on youth vaping and nicotine use.

To avoid unintended consequences on adult smoking rates, the scope and impact of any restrictions, including on nicotine pouches, will be carefully considered. To do this, the Department plans to consult on regulations as soon as possible next year. To support this, it regularly engages with trade bodies and the retail sector to ensure its regulations are appropriate.

Regarding smoking cessation, there is currently limited research and evidence into the harms and use of nicotine pouches as a cessation aid. The Committee of Toxicity, as requested by the Department, produced a report on nicotine pouches, and found that nicotine pouches, if used as intended, may reduce the risks to smokers. 

The Department has commissioned further research into vaping and nicotine products through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a living evidence map collating international evidence on vapes and nicotine products, including their health harms, trends in use, and emerging evidence on cessation.

The Department recently launched a call for evidence to gather evidence on a range of topics related to tobacco, vaping and nicotine products. This included questions on nicotine products, nicotine limits and ingredients, to ensure that all nicotine-containing products contain a safe and appropriate level of nicotine. The information collected will support policy development for some of the regulations made under the Bill.

I hope this reply is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Correspondence Officer
Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries
Department of Health and Social Care

The Department’s reply is useful but perhaps a little cautious.

It clearly accepts that nicotine pouches are likely to be far less harmful than smoking and may reduce risk for people who already smoke. It also confirms that pouches are now being treated as their own category in law, separate from both tobacco and vaping. This is important.

However, as usual most of the focus remains on youth use, flavours, and dependence. Protecting under-18s is essential, but this framing continues to side-line the reality that hundreds of thousands of UK adults are already using pouches as an alternative to smoking.

The key point is that the big decisions haven’t been made yet. Nicotine limits, flavours, packaging, and display rules will all be decided later through secondary regulations and consultation.

The 20isplenty campaign exists to ensure we continue to direct government focus to the issues that matter most, whilst making sure the product remains available for smokers who have, or are looking to quit.

We’ll be engaging closely as the consultation process begins.

You can see our original letter to the Department of Health and Social Care below –