A spokesperson for the Department of Health told The Journal that\u00a0the system preventing the sale of cigarettes and vapes at festivals \u201chas only recently become operational\u201d and \u201cdoes not currently include other nicotine products\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be considered as part of the review of Ireland\u2019s Tobacco Free Ireland policy which is currently underway,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
The department said the health minister has called for the directive to be revised to include all novel nicotine products, including pouches.<\/p>\n
![\"nicotine-pouches-from-the-brand-velo-for-sale-on-8th-april-2026-in-london-united-kingdom-nicotine-pouches-are-small-tobacco-free-pockets-which-deliver-nicotine-to-the-user-as-a-smoke-free-alternativ\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789349771_675_.jpeg\")
\n Nicotine pouches from the brand Velo. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n
Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n
At Electric Picnic, caps and sunglasses the company had given out could be seen on festival-goers, including on young children.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Velo\u2019s large stand at Electric Picnic hosted an array of games and offered merchandise and snus.<\/p>\n
Adults could scan a QR code to fill out a questionnaire on their nicotine habits and then bag their free tin of nicotine pouches, which usually sell for between \u20ac7 and \u20ac10.<\/p>\n
The other main attractions were the free-to-play games on offer, including corn hole, ring toss and table football. Winning a game entitled visitors to spin a wheel and win Velo merchandise, including the popular caps and sunglasses.\n<\/p>\n
Velo was launched in 2023 by tobacco giant British American Tobacco (BAT), which also owns major cigarette brands such as Lucky Strike and Pall Mall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
PJ Carroll & Co Ltd, the Irish arm of BAT, reported an almost fivefold increase in tobacco pouch sales in Ireland<\/a> in 2024 with sales increasing from six million to almost 29 million.<\/p>\n The directors for PJ Carroll & Co Ltd said at the time that sales of Velo \u201cdelivered exceptional growth in 2024\u2033 where revenues from Velo increased by 442% on 2023.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the Department of Health confirmed that new nicotine products such as pouches do not currently fall under EU or domestic tobacco control law and \u201cas such, they are not subject to the advertising and sponsorship restrictions for electronic cigarettes under the EU Tobacco Products Directive\u201d.<\/p>\n Ireland is progressing legislation on nicotine pouches that will introduce a minimum age of sale of 18, ban advertising in all retail environments and introduce a display ban in mixed retail. Retail environments include where products are being distributed for free.<\/p>\n The\u00a0bill has passed all stages in the D\u00e1il, and can be brought forward for enactment after the EU notification process concludes on 7 October.<\/p>\n \u2018Cynical ploy\u2019<\/p>\n Suzanne Dowd, senior advocacy officer at the Irish Cancer Society, said the marketing of nicotine pouches highlighted the need for regulation of the product.<\/p>\n The long-term health impacts of using nicotine pouches, particularly whether they increase the risk of mouth cancer, are not fully understood<\/a> due to the products being relatively new.<\/p>\n However, nicotine pouches can contain high levels of nicotine, a highly addictive substance.<\/p>\n The\u00a0World Health Organization (WHO)<\/a>\u00a0warns that nicotine can be particularly harmful for children and young people as nicotine exposure can affect brain development and increase the likelihood of long-term dependence and future use of other nicotine and tobacco products.<\/p>\n The HSE<\/a> has warned that the pouches can also cause teeth and gums issues, such as tooth decay or gum disease.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no doubt that some of these marketing efforts, the coloured packaging, the fruity flavours, the alignment with gigs, is all a cynical ploy to hook another generation onto nicotine,\u201d Dowd said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis ongoing heavy marketing activity is a real cause for concern and underlines the need for stronger regulations in this area to be enacted as quickly as possible,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n Dr Vikram Niranjan, assistant professor of public health at the University of Limerick, said he has seen how the advertising of nicotine pouches \u201cdirectly mirrors\u201d that of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.<\/p>\n He highlighted \u201clifestyle marketing portraying products as modern, stress-relieving fun, discreet youth sponsorships at festivals, and influencer campaigns on platforms like Instagram\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThis raises serious concerns about a new generation becoming addicted to nicotine,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough nicotine pouches may be positioned as \u201ccleaner\u201d or more discreet alternatives to smoking, this framing risks obscuring their role in sustaining nicotine dependence at a population level. The emphasis on concealability and social acceptability is especially problematic in school and social settings.\u201d<\/p>\n A WHO report earlier this year examining the marketing tactics of the nicotine pouch industry highlighted concerns about high nicotine delivery, misleading health messaging, youth-targeted advertising, and products with candy-like packaging and flavours.<\/p>\n WHO warns that without coordinated action, nicotine pouches could fuel lifelong addiction and undermine gains made in tobacco control.<\/p>\n Companies respond<\/p>\n A BAT Ireland spokesperson said: \u201cWe do not sell our products to those under the age of 18. We support the introduction of an under-18 sales ban on nicotine pouches in Ireland and regulations that restrict youth appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll BAT Ireland marketing activities comply with applicable laws and our own internal responsible marketing framework. This includes comprehensive training for festival staff and vendors on preventing underage access and applying age-verification procedures on site,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for JTI said: \u201cNordic Spirit is an adult-only product, marketed only to existing adult nicotine consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt any event where we have a presence, access is age-restricted, with ID verification on entry. We fully support the introduction of a minimum legal age of sale of 18 for nicotine pouches,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n The popularity of nicotine pouches in Ireland is mirrored globally, with the overall industry valued at nearly $7 billion (\u20ac6.1 billion) last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Ireland, the product is most popular among young people, with 3% of those aged between 15 and 24 using them, according to statements<\/a> made in the D\u00e1il in April by Minister of State at the Department of Health Jennifer Murnane O\u2019Connor.<\/p>\n![\"stack-snus-tobacco-pouches-over-black-background-copy-space\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789349772_400_.jpeg\")
\n Nicotine pouches are small rectangles containing nicotine, flavourings and other ingredients which users put between their lip and gum. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n