Is Snus Legal in the UK?

• Snus is illegal to buy or sell in the UK, though personal consumption is permitted
• The UK law stems from the EU-wide ban in 1992
• Snus was banned in the EU due to the health concerns
• Sweden is the only EU country exempt from the ban
• Nicotine pouches are a tobacco-free alternative that are legal to buy in the UK

Snus in the UK is illegal to buy and sell, due to health concerns and EU regulations. However, it is legal for individuals over the age of 18 to use snus.

Although the UK has since left the EU, the ban on selling snus remains in force under The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, which implemented the EU Tobacco Products Directive into UK law.

Despite this, the personal use and possession of snus is not criminalised in the UK, meaning that adults can still use snus (for example, if they purchased it abroad and took it home). 

This distinction is a reflection of wider tobacco control policies, which focus on limiting sales rather than penalising individuals.

Despite the fact that snus is illegal to purchase in the UK, you may hear the word being used frequently. (Want more synonyms? Our snus and nicotine pouch glossary gives you the full run down).

This is because in the UK, snus is often used to refer to nicotine pouches. In fact, the two look very similar, but with one key difference–while snus contains tobacco, nicotine pouches are tobacco-free.

Nicotine pouches deliver a similar experience, offering nicotine consumption through a small pouch that is placed under the upper lip. But because nicotine pouches don’t contain tobacco, they can legally be purchased in the UK.

For more information, refer to our snus vs nicotine pouches guide.