Velo (nicotine pouches)

Velo is a brand of nicotine pouches produced by British American Tobacco (BAT). It was introduced as part of the company’s move toward “modern oral” nicotine products marketed as smokeless alternatives to cigarettes and snus.[1] The brand replaced BAT’s earlier pouch product Lyft in a rebranding campaign and has since been distributed across multiple markets, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Kenya.[2] Velo products contain nicotine derived from tobacco but no tobacco leaf or plant material, and are designed to be placed between the gum and lip for absorption.[3]

The product has drawn regulatory attention in several countries due to health-warning requirements and marketing practices.[4] In 2024, reports in Business Daily Africa and The Guardian detailed how British American Tobacco lobbied health authorities in Kenya to soften nicotine-warning labels for Velo pouches.[5][6] In Europe, several governments have implemented new restrictions on nicotine pouch sales, with France banning their sale in 2025 and explicitly citing brands such as Velo, Zyn, and On! in the legislation.[7]

References

  1. ^ "BAT starts rollout of nicotine pouches". Business Daily Africa. 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  2. ^ "BAT sees deal over nicotine pouches sale". Business Daily Africa. 2022-08-22. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  3. ^ Phan, Lilianna; Zarei, Kasra; Chen-Sankey, Julia; Hacker, Kiana; Ajith, Aniruddh; Jewett, Bambi; Choi, Kelvin (2024-10-01). "Exposure to nicotine pouch marketing and nicotine pouch experimentation among U.S. adults who use commercial tobacco". Preventive Medicine Reports. 46 102868. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102868. ISSN 2211-3355. PMC 11399598. PMID 39282529.
  4. ^ "An independent assessment of the nicotine and flavor chemical composition of Velo (British American Tobacco) nicotine pouches sold in Pakistan".
  5. ^ "How BAT lobbied Health ministry to weaken nicotine pouch warnings". Business Daily Africa. 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  6. ^ "How Big Tobacco forced Kenya to temper nicotine pouch warning labels". The Guardian. 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  7. ^ "France has just banned nicotine pouch sales – where else in Europe are they restricted?". Euronews. 2025-02-28. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.