Flavoured nicotine pouches are being promoted to young people on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

Although some viral videos have been taken down following a series of reports in The Guardian, clips featuring Australian influencers have claimed nicotine pouches are a safe and effective way to quit vaping. A number of the videos have included links to websites selling these products.

With the rapid rise in youth vaping and the subsequent implementation of several reforms to restrict access to vaping products, it’s not entirely surprising the tobacco industry is introducing more products to maintain its future revenue stream.

The major trans-national tobacco companies, including Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco, all manufacture nicotine pouches. British American Tobacco’s brand of nicotine pouches, Velo, is a leading sponsor of the McLaren Formula 1 team.

But what are nicotine pouches, and are they even legal in Australia?

Like snus, but different

Nicotine pouches are available in many countries around the world, and their sales are increasing rapidly, especially among young people.

Nicotine pouches look a bit like small tea bags and are placed between the lip and gum. They’re typically sold in small, colourful tins of about 15 to 20 pouches. While the pouches don’t contain tobacco, they do contain nicotine that is either extracted from tobacco plants or made synthetically. The pouches come in a wide range of strengths.

As well as nicotine, the pouches commonly contain plant fibres (in place of tobacco, plant fibres serve as a filler and give the pouches shape), sweeteners and flavours. Just like for vaping products, there’s a vast array of pouch flavours available including different varieties of fruit, confectionery, spices and drinks.

The range of appealing flavours, as well as the fact they can be used discreetly, may make nicotine pouches particularity attractive to young people.

Users absorb the nicotine in their mouths and simply replace the pouch when all the nicotine has been absorbed. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are a relatively recent product, but similar style products that do contain tobacco, known as snus, have been popular in Scandinavian countries, particularly Sweden, for decades.

Snus and nicotine pouches are however different products. And given snus contains tobacco and nicotine pouches don’t, the products are subject to quite different regulations in Australia.

What does the law say?

Pouches that contain tobacco, like snus, have been banned in Australia since 1991, as part of a consumer product ban on all forms of smokeless tobacco products. This means other smokeless tobacco products such as chewing tobacco, snuff, and dissolvable tobacco sticks or tablets, are also banned from sale in Australia.

Tobacco-free nicotine pouches cannot legally be sold by general retailers, like tobacconists and convenience stores, in Australia either. But the reasons for this are more complex.

In Australia, under the Poisons Standard, nicotine is a prescription-only medicine, with two exceptions. Nicotine can be used in tobacco prepared and packed for smoking, such as cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, and cigars, as well as in preparations for therapeutic use as a smoking cessation aid, such as nicotine patches, gum, mouth spray and lozenges.

If a nicotine-containing product does not meet either of these two exceptions, it cannot be legally sold by general retailers. No nicotine pouches have currently been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration as a therapeutic aid in smoking cessation, so in short they’re not legal to sell in Australia.

However, nicotine pouches can be legally imported for personal use only if users have a prescription from a medical professional who can assess if the product is appropriate for individual use.

We only have anecdotal reports of nicotine pouch use, not hard data, as these products are very new in Australia. But we do know authorities are increasingly seizing these products from retailers. It’s highly unlikely any young people using nicotine pouches are accessing them through legal channels.

Health concerns

Nicotine exposure may induce effects including dizziness, headache, nausea and abdominal cramps, especially among people who don’t normally smoke or vape.

Although we don’t yet have much evidence on the long term health effects of nicotine pouches, we know nicotine is addictive and harmful to health. For example, it can cause problems in the cardiovascular system (such as heart arrhythmia), particularly at high doses. It may also have negative effects on adolescent brain development.

The nicotine contents of some of the nicotine pouches on the market is alarmingly high. Certain brands offer pouches containing more than 10mg of nicotine, which is similar to a cigarette. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, pouches deliver enough nicotine to induce and sustain nicotine addiction.

Pouches are also being marketed as a product to use when it’s not possible to vape or smoke, such as on a plane. So instead of helping a person quit they may be used in addition to smoking and vaping. And importantly, there’s no clear evidence pouches are an effective smoking or vaping cessation aid.

Further, some nicotine pouches, despite being tobacco-free, still contain tobacco-specific nitrosamines. These compounds can damage DNA, and with long term exposure, can cause cancer.

Overall, there’s limited data on the harms of nicotine pouches because they’ve been on the market for only a short time. But the WHO recommends a cautious approach given their similarities to smokeless tobacco products.

For anyone wanting advice and support to quit smoking or vaping, it’s best to talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or access trusted sources such as Quitline or the iCanQuit website.

Becky Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

We’ve all been there. The pounding headache, relentless nausea, and the kind of tired no amount of coffee can fix. Hangovers are a reminder that last night’s fun comes at a cost.

These days, hangovers aren’t just something to complain about over a greasy breakfast – they’re big business. The global market for hangover cures is now valued at US$2.29 billion (A$3.53 billion) and projected to reach US$6.71 billion (A$10.33 billion) by 2032.

These products – ranging from capsules to drinks to patches – appear to be popular. Nearly 70% of drinkers say they would buy an effective hangover remedy. But any scientific evidence they work is thin.

First, what causes hangovers?

Despite years of research, the exact cause of a hangover is still unclear. But we know several biological processes contribute to that hungover feeling.

1. Your immune system is in overdrive

When you drink, your body treats alcohol like a threat. It breaks alcohol down into acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct that triggers an immune response, releasing inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.

These chemicals are the same ones your body uses to fight infections, which is why a hangover can feel eerily similar to being sick.

2. You’re dehydrated

Alcohol blocks vasopressin, a hormone that helps the body retain water. Without it, you make more frequent trips to the bathroom and lose more fluid than you take in, leading to thirst, dry mouth, and the classic hangover headache.

3. Your sleep takes a hit

Although alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, it disrupts your natural sleep pattern. You get more deep sleep early on, but less rapid eye movement (REM) and light sleep stages.

As the alcohol wears off, your brain rebounds with more REM sleep and frequent wake ups, leaving you groggy and cognitively impaired the next day.

4. Your brain is recalibrating

Alcohol disrupts several brain chemicals. It boosts gamma-aminobutyric acid, a calming neurotransmitter, and suppresses glutamate, which normally keeps you stimulated and alert. That’s part of why drinking feels relaxing. But as your body tries to rebalance, you may be left feeling anxious or irritable.

What’s in hangover ‘remedies’?

Modern hangover remedies have evolved well beyond the “hair of the dog”. You’ve got liver-protecting capsules, electrolyte-packed drinks, vitamin patches for while you party, and strips that dissolve on your tongue – all with the goal of accelerating recovery.

A 2025 analysis which looked at hangover products marketed in Australia found B vitamins and sodium were the most common ingredients, appearing in nearly half of all products reviewed.

B vitamins are often included based on the idea alcohol depletes them, while sodium is thought to support rehydration. However, there’s little solid evidence that either significantly improves hangover symptoms in otherwise healthy people.

Natural ingredients such as ginger and dihydromyricetin, a compound extracted from the Japanese raisin tree, were also popular, featuring in more than one-quarter and one-third of products respectively.

Ginger is widely used to treat nausea and vomiting, and there’s some evidence to support its effectiveness for gastrointestinal symptoms. However, this is not specific to hangovers.

Dihydromyricetin has been marketed as a revolutionary hangover fighter, with claims it helps the liver process alcohol more efficiently. Yet, when tested under controlled conditions, it failed to reduce hangover severity more than a placebo.

Other popular ingredients show similarly underwhelming results. The amino acid L-cysteine has shown some benefits in one study, but the sample was too small to draw firm conclusions.

Another product often marketed as a hangover remedy is Korean pear juice. If consumed before drinking, it may help the body break down alcohol more efficiently. A 2013 study found it slightly lowered blood alcohol levels and improved focus. However the effects were small, and it offered little benefit once a hangover had already set in.

Another natural remedy that has shown some promise is red ginseng. One study found participants who drank red ginseng extract after alcohol were less thirsty, fatigued, had fewer stomach aches, and even had improved memory compared to people who drank just plain water.

Mouse trials of ginseng have also shown consistent benefits across symptoms and biological markers of alcohol-related stress.

How about IV drips and vitamin patches?

Not all remedies come in pill or plant form. IV drips, often marketed as wellness boosters for energy, immunity, and even glowing skin, are now offered at clinics and “drip bars” for hangovers too. But unless you’re severely dehydrated, there’s little evidence these pricey infusions work any better than water, food and rest.

Vitamin patches are also trending, claiming to deliver nutrients through the skin while bypassing digestion. But again, studies don’t necessarily support this. Most vitamins are better absorbed through food or oral supplements.

There’s no magic cure for a hangover

As the hangover remedy market continues to grow, science hasn’t kept pace with marketing claims. However, these science-backed strategies may help:

• pacing yourself and having no more than one standard drink an hour gives your liver time to keep up, so you’re less likely to feel too drunk or hungover the next day
• stay hydrated by alternating alcoholic drinks with water
• eating before drinking slows alcohol absorption and can help reduce stomach irritation
• get plenty of sleep after a big night out, as your body does most of its recovery while you rest. Even a short nap the next day can help you feel better.

Practising moderation can be difficult in the moment. But it’s likely to be your best bet to avoid waking up feeling rough the next day.

Blair Aitken, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology and Rebecca Rothman, PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.