Nicotine pouch use among young Canadians rose to 34.8 percent by 2026
A longitudinal study tracked 3,400 Canadians aged 17 to 27 and found past-month use increased from 1 percent in 2022 to 8.5 percent in 2026. Only one-third of those who tried the product had also smoked cigarettes.
New data from the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit shows nicotine pouch use among young Canadians rose sharply between 2022 and 2026. The share of respondents who had ever tried the product increased from 7.6 percent to 34.8 percent over that period. The study has followed the same group of participants since 2020.
Past-month use rose from 1 percent in 2022 to 8.5 percent in 2026, according to the unit's director.
Industry and political response Imperial Tobacco, the only company with federal approval to sell nicotine pouches in Canada, has called for the products to be sold in the same outlets as cigarettes. A company vice-president stated that most adult smokers want to quit and that current limits push buyers toward illegal products.
Conservative members of Parliament launched a petition in 2025 seeking to reverse the 2024 restrictions that confined sales to pharmacies and added labeling and advertising rules. Alberta's premier also urged the federal government to ease the limits, citing reduced access for people trying to quit smoking.
Health concerns and demographics Health groups maintain that the restrictions should remain in place. A senior policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society said there is no indication the government intends to weaken the rules. Ninety-seven percent of respondents who had tried nicotine pouches had previously vaped.
Use was substantially higher among males than females, and the products are promoted on social media platforms. Nicotine exposure at a young age can affect brain development and raise the risk of long-term addiction, the World Health Organization stated last month while recommending governments limit youth access.
