Peel high school urges parents to discuss nicotine pouch risks with children

QEII High School in Peel has written to parents and carers asking them to talk to their children about the dangers of nicotine pouches, according to Manx Radio.

The school’s letter says young people are coming across the products, sometimes called snus, more and more often on social media, in online advertising and through internet sellers.

Users tuck the small pouches under the upper lip, and nicotine is absorbed from there. The pouches are tobacco-free, and Manx Radio said they are sometimes marketed as a more modern option than cigarettes or e-cigarettes.

Nicotine is highly addictive, Manx Radio reported, and can disrupt concentration, sleep and mood as well as general wellbeing. The broadcaster said young users may also suffer headaches, dizziness or nausea, and their heart rate may rise.

The school said the pouches are banned on its premises. It is asking families to help pupils understand the risks of nicotine and what long-term addiction could mean for them.