THE HISTORY OF NICOTINE POUCHES: HOW SCANDINAVIA INFLUENCED NICOTINE POUCHES

Nicotine pouches have been associated with Scandinavian culture for a long time. The inspiration for them largely comes from nasal snuff – a form of sniffing tobacco that was originally used by native Americans to blow powdered tobacco up their nose.

This soon caught on, and nasal snuff travelled across central America. By 1559, ambassador Jean Nicot brought this method of nicotine consumption to France, where it soon travelled across Europe, reachingSweden in the 17th century.

Nasal snuff was originally consumed by putting a small amount on to the back of your hand before inhaling it through your nose. It was produced and used in a variety of textures, including drier versions where the tobacco was ground more finely, and formulars combined with glucose and herbs.

By the 18th century, Swedish manufacturers had found a way to produce an oral version that could be placed under your lip. This became known as smokeless tobacco or ‘Snus’ (pronounced ‘snoose’). It was easy to use and a more convenient way to consume nicotine.

This new oral method typically fell into one of two categories – brown and white. The brown variety has water added to it at the final stage of production. The water reacts with the powdered tobacco and turns it brown. The white category doesn’t typically have added water so it remains dry and colourless.

In 1992, the European Union (EU) introduced a ban on Snus in Europe. Although Sweden is within the EU, Sweden was granted an exemption from the ban when it joined the bloc in 1995. The production and sale of Snus is permitted in Sweden, but it must not be sold or exported to other EU countries.

Today, the influence of this Swedish invention continues to spread around the world. Multiple versions and adaptations have been created, like VELO’s nicotine pouches which, unlike Snus, do not contain tobacco* and are legal to sell in most countries in the EU.

VELO nicotine pouches, like those before them, are consumed orally. They’re consumed by tucking a pouch between your upper lip and gum. It’s a hassle-free approach for long lasting nicotine enjoyment.