The United Arab Emirates has approved the sale of compliant synthetic nicotine bags as part of its tobacco control strategy, hoping to draw on Sweden’s successful experience in promoting Snus. PMI has also introduced its ZYN brand to the UAE market, laying out the emerging nicotine alternative track.
Key points:
- The United Arab Emirates has approved the sale of synthetic nicotine bags: As part of its tobacco control policy, the authorities encourage smokers to switch to low-harm products and promote the construction of a “smoke-free environment”.
- Market and usage data: The vape market size in the United Arab Emirates is expected to reach 78 million US dollars in 2025, with a large number of teenagers among the users. About a quarter of college students have used vapes.
- Policy reference: Swedish experience: Due to the promotion of Snus in Sweden, tobacco-related diseases have significantly decreased. In 2022, the usage rate of nicotine bags among women exceeded the smoking rate for the first time.
- From a public health perspective: Philip Morris International emphasizes that providing safer alternatives for those who are unable to quit smoking successfully is the key to improving public health.
According to a recent report by The National News, the United Arab Emirates has approved the sale of compliant synthetic nicotine bags as part of its tobacco control policy, encouraging smokers to switch to low-harm alternatives and promoting the goal of a “smoke-free environment”.
According to Statista, the vape market in the United Arab Emirates is expected to reach a size of 78 million US dollars by 2025, with a large number of users, including teenagers. Data from the World Health Organization shows that the smoking rate in the United Arab Emirates is 12%, and the overall rate in the Middle East is 20%. Although the data on vape usage is still unclear, university research shows that about a quarter of university students in the United Arab Emirates have used vapes.
The experience of Sweden has become an important reference for the policies of the United Arab Emirates. Since the country promoted Snus in the 1980s, tobacco-related diseases such as lung cancer and oral cancer have decreased significantly. In 2022, the number of Swedish women using nicotine bags (7.5%) exceeded that of smokers for the first time.
Including the United Arab Emirates, about 37 countries around the world have begun to regulate and allow the sale of nicotine bags. Philip Morris International (PMI) previously acquired Swedish Match, the largest nicotine pouch manufacturer in Sweden, and introduced ZYN to the UAE market. The head of public affairs at PMI stated that providing safer alternatives for those who are unable to quit smoking successfully is a key path to improving the current state of public health.
