Nicotine pouches (file image). Photo: stock.adobe.com
A Christchurch woman says she is horrified that her non-smoking teenage daughter was given addictive nicotine pouches as part of a social media promotion.
The woman's 18-year-old daughter won two packets of Zyn nicotine pouches via an Instagram competition by Zinger Pouches, an online company which describes itself as based in New Zealand.
Zyn are flavoured nicotine pouches, which are used by putting a small pouch of the product between the upper lip and gum to be absorbed over a period of time.
The Christchurch woman, who asked not to be named, said she was horrified at the way the product was being promoted.
"The product is being promoted in the same way as with vapes, as a (smoking) cessation product. But it's not. It is just about making money and bringing in children. It does the same thing as vapes. It has all the nice colours and flavours".
She said she was particularly shocked that her younger daughter who has just turned 15 also knew all about the product from social media promotions.
The US website for Zyn Nicotine Pouches says the product is for adults over 21 who currently use nicotine.
It says: "If you do not currently use nicotine, ZYN is not for you."
The site that describes itself as New Zealand-based asks users to confirm they are 18 or over.
Medsafe says Zyn would need to be approved as a medicine or under the Psychoactive Substances Act to be sold or given away in New Zealand, and it has not been.
If the product was imported for the personal use of the importer it would be allowed.
Medsafe says it is currently investigating issues around the supply of these products in New Zealand, and how the relevant legislation can be applied.
University of Otago professor of public health Janet Hoek said the Zyn products were very new to New Zealand so knowledge of them was still developing.
She said Zyn was the leading brand in the US, and there was increasing discussion of them there.
There were now several New Zealand domain pages advertising Zyn, Hoek said.
She said there was a real risk that Zyn and other similar products would be promoted to regulators as something beneficial to help people stop smoking, but then marketed at young non-smokers.
"When vaping was introduced it was marketed through music festivals, through dance parties, through exactly the type of activities and sponsorship you would expect to see if you were targeting a youth audience. So it is really concerning to hear a young woman who has never smoked has been sent these products as a result of a social media promotion. I just don't think that should be happening."
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said the ministry was always concerned about the use of tobacco or nicotine products by young people.
Zinger Pouches was approached for comment but did not respond to RNZ.