Nicotine Pouches Popularity Approach Cigarette in Canada Teenagers

A research results shows that nicotine pouches is the third most commonly used nicotine product among Canadian teenagers. With a current usage rate of 2.6%, close to cigarettes 3.0%.

The risk of use is higher among cisgender boys, gender diverse adolescents, students with poor academic performance or part-time jobs, and over 70% of nicotine bag users also use vapes.

In August 2025, the Canadian Journal of Public Health published a paper titled “Emerging use of oral nicotine pouches among Canadian adolescents: Findings from the COMPASS Quebec study”. The study was jointly conducted by researchers from the University of Waterloo, Laval University, and the Quebec Department of Public Health. Based on the 2024 COMPASS Quebec Student Survey, the study focused on the use, risk perception, and sharing of nicotine pouches with other nicotine products among adolescents.

Research shows that nicotine pouches containing nicotine in the mouth (such as ZYN and ZONNIC) have rapidly expanded in the global market in recent years, especially attracting attention from young people. Unlike cigarettes or vapes, nicotine bags do not contain tobacco, do not produce smoke, and can be used discreetly in almost any location. Although Health Canada introduced regulations in 2024 restricting its sales to pharmacies and banning certain flavors, these products may still be illegally obtained through convenience stores, tobacco shops, and online channels, and some products contain nicotine concentrations far above the legal limit (up to 50mg per bag, equivalent to about 50 cigarettes). This characteristic makes nicotine pouches both covert and potentially lead to faster addiction in adolescents, which public health experts are concerned about.

In previous studies, there was limited data on the usage rate of nicotine pouches among Canadian adolescents. In 2019, the usage rate among the 16-19 year old population in Canada was only 1%. However, international trends indicate that such products may quickly become popular and even follow a trend similar to vapes. This study fills the data gap in nicotine pouches use among Canadian adolescents.

Research methodology

The research team conducted a questionnaire survey on 13914 students from 33 secondary schools in Quebec based on the COMPASS research platform, and the final sample included in the analysis was 11017 people. The survey covers usage over the past 30 days, awareness of health and addiction risks, and associations with factors such as gender, grade level, academic performance, and part-time work.

Key Findings

The usage rate has increased, almost on par with cigarettes: Nicotine pouches have become the third largest nicotine product after vapes (13.0%) and cigarettes (3.0%), with a current usage rate of 2.6%, almost on par with cigarettes.

Risk population

The usage rate of male students is 74% higher than that of female students;
Older, male, and gender diverse groups have a higher risk of use.
The risk of students with poor academic performance (grades below 55%) using it is nearly three times higher;
Students with part-time jobs have a significantly increased risk of use, and the longer the weekly part-time time, the higher the risk of use.
Teenagers who self-report poor physical or mental health are more likely to use it.
*Cisgender refers to a group of people whose gender identity is completely consistent with their designated gender at birth, and who live according to that gender.

Nicotine co use phenomenon

71.7% of nicotine pouches users simultaneously use vapes;
27.9% smoke cigarettes simultaneously;
Compared to non users, vape users have a 14 times higher risk of using nicotine pouches, and smokers have a 5 times higher risk.

Differences in risk perception

81% of students believe that nicotine pouches are addictive, but 16% are still uncertain;
Only 41% of students believe that nicotine pouches pose a high health risk, while 23.5% express’ unclear ‘;
Compared to peers who perceive high risk, adolescents who perceive low or no risk have 8-10 times higher usage rates.

Conclusion

The author of the paper believes that the use of nicotine pouches among Canadian adolescents has rapidly increased and is highly concentrated in certain groups, such as boys, gender diverse adolescents, academically challenged and part-time students. Due to the concealed design and potentially higher content of nicotine pouches, without effective regulation, it may replicate the popularity trajectory of vapes among young people. The risk groups are concentrated in: male students, gender diverse groups, part-time students, academically disadvantaged teenagers, and vape/cigarette users.

References: Emerging use of oral nicotine pouches among Canadian adolescents: Findings from the COMPASS-Quebec study | Canadian Journal of Public Health

DankSmoke world view team suggestion: We have always opposed the use of nicotine containing products by teenagers because they are still in the growth stage. Nicotine can seriously harm a child’s health and pose great harm to their growing body. As a responsible vape factory, we produce millions of vape products every year. We don’t want to see our products in the hands of children