Nicotine Pouches in Australia

Australia treats nicotine pouches as therapeutic goods, not as consumer products. Nicotine is a scheduled poison in the Poisons Standard. Oral nicotine preparations are exempt from the strictest schedules only when they are aids to quitting smoking or vaping and are entered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. No nicotine pouch is on that register.

Under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 an unregistered therapeutic good may not be supplied, so retail sale and commercial import are unlawful. Penalties under that Act reach five years' imprisonment or fines in the millions.

There is no longer any lawful route for a consumer. From 24 July 2026 nicotine pouches may not be brought in under the Personal Importation Scheme, obtained through the Special Access Scheme or the Authorised Prescriber Scheme, or compounded by a pharmacist. A prescription no longer opens a path. Before that date personal importation with a prescription was possible, which is why older guidance still describes one.