Question 9305 — health

Summary

Mr. Laurent Croizier alerts the Minister to the Minister of Labor, Health, Solidarity and Families, responsible for health and access to care, about the health risk linked to the lack of supervision of the marketing of nicotine sachets. The dangerousness of these sachets, also called “pouches” or “nicopods” has been proven. A sachet contains on average 10 to 20 mg of nicotine, the equivalent of 13 to 20 cigarettes, so that a pharmaceutical nicotine gum generally contains between 2 and 4 mg. In the absence of a clear legal framework, the sale of these sachets has experienced strong growth since 2021. It is driven by offensive marketing strategies, attractive flavors (cola, strawberry, pina colada, etc.), uncontrolled sales channels, mainly on the internet or in non-specialized points of sale, outside the networks supervised by the State, reinforcing considerably the risk of initiation and early dependence on nicotine. This situation greatly complicates health surveillance, increases minors' access to these products and exposes them to a risk of poisoning and dependence. Several cases of acute poisoning, severe vomiting, convulsions, hypotension, disturbances of consciousness have been recorded. The number of calls to poison control centers related to the ingestion of this product increased from 3 cases in 2020 to 86 in 2022, an increase of almost 30 in two years. According to ANSES, the majority of victims are adolescents aged 12 to 17. In view of the health risk, the ban seems to be an appropriate response. The National Committee Against Tobacco (CNCT) emphasizes that this product is marketed in violation of legislation (absence of declaration to ANSES, absence of data on the composition, toxicity or sales volumes). Such a ban requires a regulatory procedure at European level; in this expectation, strict and immediate supervision of their marketing in France appears essential. Also, he would like to know the measures envisaged by the Government to regulate the marketing of nicotine sachets, particularly with regard to sales to minors, pending a European procedure leading to their total ban.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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