A recent study conducted by the tobacco company to illustrate the relative safety of the products, analysed the toxicological impact of BAT’s nicotine pouches Velo, formerly called Lyft. These tea bag-like pouches, are similar in appearance and use to snus. They are placed under the upper lip for about 15 to 30 minutes depending on the preferred nicotine dose and have the added benefit of being tobacco-free, odour-free, and not requiring spitting.
Nicotine pouches are tobacco-free, odour-free, and do not require spitting.
BAT sells them both with and without tobacco. Velo, which is the tobacco free kind, contains nicotine, water and other food-grade ingredients, such as eucalyptus and pine tree fibres, flavouring and sweeteners. As BAT is now targeting the African market, (trading locally under Lyft brand), it is launching a plant in Kenya at an estimated cost of Sh2.5 billion.
However, the country’s Ministry of Health and civil society lobby groups, such as International Institute for Legislative Affairs, are resisting the sales of the products.
Nicotine pouches in New Zealand
Similarly, a firm selling the pouches in New Zealand, NZ Smokefree Tomorrow Limited, is encouraging smokers to consider their safer alternative product. The firm’s CEO Miles Illemann, said that the product is more effective than e-cigarettes and that the company’s mission is helping New Zealand achieve a smokefree status by 2025.
“They just have such a high, proven effective rate. What we’re seeing in European countries is nicotine pouches have a success rate of 60-75 percent in getting people to quit smoking,” said Illemann.
“Vaping has a success rate of around 18 percent and that’s with the help of nicotine patches. Sweden has a 5 percent smoking rate and Norway has an under 5 percent smoking rate for people under the age of 34. Five percent smoking prevalence classifies a country as smokefree. They’re the only ones to do that and it’s because of these products,” he added.
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