Salzburg forges ahead

Quick nicotine kick: ban to protect young people

Twelve percent of young people in Salzburg consume nicotine, many of them nicotine pouches.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

Nicotine pouches for the mouth have become very popular among young people. As of today, a stricter law therefore applies in Salzburg. It is also intended to shake up parents and sports coaches.

You can smell and see no smoke when young people have nicotine pouches in their mouths. Unnoticed by others, they get a nicotine kick that is three times stronger than that of a cigarette. This is set to change.

The Salzburg state parliament has tightened up youth legislation. From today, June 1, the purchase, consumption and distribution of nicotine pouches will be prohibited for under-18s. Experts call this Salzburg initiative an important signal. "The pouches are advertised as a harmless thing that young people can use to have fun and get high," says Gerald Brandtner. The head of addiction prevention at the Akzente Salzburg association warns: "Nicotine, especially in pouch form, is a highly potent drug that is very quickly addictive." There are also possible consequences of nicotine consumption such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Pouches provide a quick kick and encourage addiction
In workshops, Akzente employees therefore warn schoolchildren and, above all, their parents - against nicotine in any form. Because the high-dose pouches are popular in some sports, there are now also workshops for Salzburg's youth soccer coaches. "Young people are easy to manipulate and susceptible to unusual things," Hannes Bacher confirms.

The nicotine is absorbed 28 times more than when smoking. However, the effect then wears off quickly and you want the next pouch.

Suchthilfeleiter Hannes Bacher

The medical director of the Addiction Help Clinic Salzburg describes the high addictive potential of nicotine pouches as follows: "The nicotine substitutes they contain migrate directly into the bloodstream via the oral mucosa. The nicotine is absorbed 28 times more than when smoking. However, the effect then wears off quickly and you want the next pouch." Stopping nicotine consumption later is almost as difficult as quitting heroin. Only with shock diagnoses is it quick.

Bacher does not see a nationwide ban on nicotine pouches with advertising restrictions coming. This is because Austria earns three times more from tax revenue on nicotine products than it spends on health consequences. Gerald Brandtner adds: "Unfortunately, the pouches are also a sign of our consumer society. You can get a kick with them - everywhere and unnoticed by others.