Snus and nicotine pouches are increasingly used among young people in Montenegro, are easily available, and their use often goes unnoticed. Although they are presented as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes, experts warn that these products carry serious health risks, especially for children and adolescents.
The World Health Organization warns that nicotine pouches are particularly dangerous because they contain high doses of nicotine and are often designed to attract children.
"Nicotine sachets contain nicotine, which is a toxic substance and causes strong addiction, especially in children. They are often packaged in attractive packages with flavors such as strawberry, vanilla or watermelon, which creates a false impression of safety. If you keep in mind that one nicotine sachet can contain up to 30 milligrams of nicotine, and due to the method of application, you can count on it being completely absorbed, and when you compare that to, for example, one cigarette that contains 8 to 12 mg of nicotine, however, when used, in principle, somewhere between 1 and 2 mg is absorbed, which means that the entire pack of conventional cigarettes contains a maximum of 20 to 40 mg of nicotine, then we can understand how dangerous these nicotine sachets actually are, which in fact in one package, for example 20 sachets, can contain up to 240 mg of nicotine," said Mina Brajović, Head of the Office World Health Organizations in Montenegro.
She points out that a ban is the most effective measure.
"Nothing can replace the strongest and safest measure, which is the ban on nicotine pouches. The health of our children is priceless," said Brajović.
Amendments to the Excise Law, currently pending in parliament, would regulate and tax nicotine pouches for the first time. However, experts warn that delaying the law only benefits the tobacco industry.
"Every month of delay means more children exposed to nicotine and more addicts. Parliament must make a decision in the interest of public health, not industry," Brajović stressed.
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