What are nico pods? Nicotine pouches explained

Same product, many names

Nico pods, nicopods, nic pods, nicotine pouches, white pouches and white snus all describe the same kind of product. In Sweden the common term is vitt snus, and Swedish law calls them tobaksfria nikotinprodukter (tobacco-free nicotine products).

One source of confusion: "pod" is also used for e-cigarette cartridges. A nico pod in the pouch sense holds no liquid, isn't heated and isn't inhaled. It's placed in the mouth.

What's inside a nicotine pouch

The World Health Organization describes nicotine pouches as pre-portioned pouches designed to be placed between the gum and lip. According to the CDC, they contain a powder made of nicotine, flavourings and other ingredients.

They're often sold as tobacco-free because they contain no tobacco leaf. The WHO points out that the nicotine itself may have been extracted from tobacco. Nicotine is highly addictive whatever its source, and the CDC states that there are no safe tobacco products, including nicotine pouches.

How strength is labelled: mg/g or mg per pouch

Brands label nicotine content in one of two ways, and mixing them up is the most common mistake when comparing cans.

• mg/g: milligrams of nicotine per gram of pouch content. This is the unit we use across the site.
• mg per pouch: milligrams of nicotine in one pouch. Some brands print this figure on the can instead.
• To convert, multiply mg/g by the weight of one pouch in grams. A pouch weighing 0.7 g at 10 mg/g contains 7 mg. If a can doesn't state its pouch weight, the two numbers can't be compared exactly.
• Words such as "Regular", "Strong" or "Extra Strong" are brand labels, not a standard. The same word means different amounts in different brands, so check the number.

• Browse every pouch by mg/g →

Formats

Pouches come in a few sizes. Slim pouches are long and narrow, mini pouches are shorter and smaller, and some brands sell an even narrower superslim cut. Format changes how the pouch sits under the lip and how visible it is. It doesn't tell you the strength: two pouches of the same format can contain very different amounts of nicotine.

Every product page on this site lists format, pouch count per can and the strength in the unit the brand uses.

• All brands we carry →

Age rules and regulation

In Sweden, nicotine pouches are regulated by Lag (2022:1257) om tobaksfria nikotinprodukter, and selling them to anyone under 18 is prohibited. In the United States, the FDA authorised 20 specific ZYN pouch products in January 2025 for sale to adults aged 21 and older, and said that authorisation does not mean the products are safe or 'FDA approved'.

We verify age at checkout and, where the law requires it, again at delivery. Nicotine pouches are not for anyone who doesn't already use nicotine, and they are not a licensed way to stop smoking.

• How we verify age →
• Nicotine pouches and quitting smoking: what the evidence says →

Related guides

• Best pouches for beginners — a measured starter list

  A starter shortlist for first-time nicotine pouch users. Strength picks, format choices, what to expect in the first session, and the mistakes we'd warn against.

• Tobacco-free pouches vs snus — what actually differs

  What separates a tobacco-free nicotine pouch from traditional Swedish snus. Materials, regulation, functional behaviour, harm-reduction framing, and what we carry.

• Nicotine pouches and quitting smoking: the evidence

  Can nicotine pouches help you quit smoking? What the NHS, FDA, Cochrane and WHO say, the licensed options that work, and where to get free support.

Sources

1. World Health Organization: Tobacco and nicotine (fact sheet)
2. CDC: Nicotine pouches
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA authorizes marketing of 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products after extensive scientific review (16 January 2025)
4. Sveriges riksdag: Lag (2022:1257) om tobaksfria nikotinprodukter