A new survey commissioned by the Tholos Foundation and conducted by the renowned international polling firm Dynata reveals strong opposition among Polish consumers to the recently announced nicotine pouch flavor ban, and highlights its potentially devastating consequences for public health. If implemented, the ban would amount to a de facto prohibition of lifesaving nicotine pouches—products that have helped hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens quit smoking and stay smoke-free.
The findings indicate that Polish consumers primarily use nicotine pouches for health-related reasons, particularly to reduce smoking—an approach supported by extensive scientific evidence showing these products as a safer alternative to cigarettes. Critically, 88% of users cite flavored options, such as fruit and menthol, as a key factor in their decision to use nicotine pouches. A ban on flavors would force consumers to seek alternatives on the black market or, worse, return to smoking deadly combustible cigarettes.
According to the research, a third of consumers would turn to cross-border purchases or alternative online sources if the ban were enforced, while another third would revert to smoking. Only 6% indicated they would quit nicotine altogether.
The evidence is clear: the Polish Government’s proposed ban on flavored nicotine pouches would be detrimental to public health and must be urgently reconsidered.
The full results from the research may be downloaded here