Experts warn of rising nicotine pouch use among young people in Belgium
Experts are warning about the growing popularity of nicotine pouches among young people in Belgium, even though selling them is banned, according to research by VRT NWS Pano and Knack.
Experts are sounding the alarm about the growing popularity of nicotine pouches among young people in Belgium. The pouches are sold illegally in the country, because their sale is banned.
According to research by VRT NWS Pano and Knack, published on 28 October 2026, nicotine pouches have become a new trend among young people. VRT NWS is the news service of the Flemish public broadcaster, and Pano is its current affairs programme. Knack is a Belgian news magazine.
The research cites people who say they see nicotine pouch use in football, in nightlife and in classrooms. This suggests the products are present in several parts of young people's daily lives.
Experts also warn about the health effects. They say nicotine pouches cause severe irritation and damage to the gums. According to the material, gum tissue can come away from the mouth.
The pouches are small bags that are placed in the mouth. Despite the ban on selling them in Belgium, the research indicates that they remain available to young people through illegal sales.
Original reporting
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How this article was made
BelgiumNow summarises reporting by Belgian media in English. This text was written with the help of AI from the facts in the reports listed above and checked automatically before publishing. For the full story, read the original reporting.