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Ministers have warned that children could switch to powerful nicotine powders which are currently legal to buy following a crackdown on teenage vaping.
Nicotine powders are sold in chewing gum-sized sachets and placed in the mouth, where they dissolve and are absorbed by the body.
As they are not classified as tobacco products in the UK, they can currently be legally sold to children.
Like some controversial vaping products, some brands feature kid-friendly flavors like ‘gummy bear’ or ‘strawberry vanilla candy’ in brightly colored packaging emblazoned with cartoon characters.
Some online sellers promote the products as a “healthier” alternative to vaping and claim that their products offer a more discreet way for users to get their nicotine fix.
Some nicotine powders are sold in colorful packaging and have candy-like flavors, very similar to vaping products that experts have criticized for being aimed at children.
Ministers have been urged to close a loophole that allows nicotine powders to be sold to children.
Some powders that MailOnline sells for sale contain much more nicotine than cigarettes (file image)
Experts and anti-smoking groups today asked the Government to close the legal loophole that allows the sale of these products to children.
They warned that attempts to wean children off nicotine by cracking down on vapers could fail if other sources remained available.
Nicotine powders were originally developed as a smoking cessation product, but have since become a distinct and powerful recreational product in their own right.
MailOnline found some candy flavors of powders sold online contained almost 33mg of nicotine per bag.
In comparison, a single cigarette contains between 8 and 20 mg of nicotine.
Candy flavored nicotine powders are sold in pots containing just 20 bags for just £4.50, meaning children can buy a large amount of nicotine for a relatively low price.
Alice Wiseman, addiction policy officer at the Association of Public Health Directors, told The Times: ‘The sale of these extremely harmful and addictive nicotine pods to children and young people is completely unacceptable.
‘There is currently no regulation to prevent these products from being sold to under-18s, leaving them vulnerable to targeted marketing used to encourage them to buy and use such a harmful product.
“The government must introduce greater regulation to protect children and young people, to prevent nicotine pods and similar harmful products from being advertised as something fun and appropriate for a person under 18.”
He also called for more research to learn more about the long-term health impacts of powdered nicotine use.
With the Government set to ban disposable vapes to curb nicotine addiction in children, there are fears that young people may turn to alternative sources to get their fix.
While the sale of e-cigarettes to under-18s is banned, the latest data suggests that more than a tenth of 11- to 17-year-olds in the UK have already tried vaping.
Many websites that sell these powders already tout the benefits of using them compared to vaporizers.
Tests on e-cigarettes confiscated from youth found they contained dangerous levels of lead, nickel and chromium. Some were almost 10 times above safety limits. Exposure to lead can affect brain development, while the other two metals can cause blood clotting.
Data from NHS Digital, based on the survey of tobacco, alcohol and drug use among young people in England for 2021, showed that 30 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber have used a vape.
Some claim that powders are healthier than vaporizers, as the nicotine is not inhaled and poses no risk of irritation to the lungs.
They also highlight that the use of the powder is discreet, as no vapor or smoke is produced, meaning people can use it anywhere without obvious signs.
Vaporizers, which allow the user to inhale nicotine in vapor form instead of the smoke of traditional cigarettes, are widely accepted as healthier than smoking and as a smoking cessation tool.
However, this does not mean they are risk-free and experts have warned against their long-term use, especially in children.
NHS figures have shown a rise in the number of children admitted to hospital due to vaping.
Forty children and young people were admitted to hospitals in England last year due to “vaping-related disorders”, which could include lung damage or worsening asthma symptoms, up from 11 two years earlier, the NHS said.
Some children have also suffered catastrophic allergic reactions after vaping.
Some popular nicotine powder brands already restrict the sale of their products only to those over 18, but this is voluntary.
Others, seen on this website, do not require age verification to view their products and purchase them.