Project Overview

While public health advocates and legislators are focussing on limiting youth exposure - and general public access – to e-cigarettes, big tobacco has already shifted to a new product - nicotine pouches. These pouches, although illegal to sell or advertise in Australia (Duren et al., 2024), are gaining popularity, especially among the youth, through promotion and influencer endorsement on social media and via online retailers. However, given that much of the promotion – and associated sales – take place via non-traditional retail channels, not much is known about their proliferation, nor associated messaging. 

Nicotine pouches are small, flavoured sachets that are placed under the lip, thereby facilitating the direct absorption of nicotine and sweeteners or flavourings. Whilst the pouches do not contain tobacco. No type of nicotine pouch is currently approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. However, early observations suggest that their popularity is driven via (influencer) promotion on social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, similar to the promotion of e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ (Jancey, Carey, et al., 2024; Jancey et al., 2023; McCausland et al., 2020).  

Unlike traditional cigarettes and vapes, these pouches do not emit any smoke or vapour. Their ‘discreet’ nature makes them challenging for regulators, health professionals and educators to detect and manage. Social media platforms have been slow to enforce their own policies, which typically prohibit the sale and promotion of tobacco products, including novel nicotine products (Jancey, Crawford, et al., 2024). Earlier this year TikTok banned the account of an influencer who promoted flavoured nicotine pouches, for violation of its community guidelines. However, this ban was only actioned after a media report (May, 2024). Similar accounts remain active online.  

Ref - Duren, M., Atella, L., Welding, K., & Kennedy, R. D. (2024). Nicotine pouches: a summary of regulatory approaches across 67 countries. Tobacco Control, 33(e1), e32-e40.  
Jancey, J., Carey, R. N., Freeman, B., Leaver, T., Wolf, K., Bromberg, M., Chai, K., Bialous, S., Adams, P., Mcleod, M., & McCausland, K. (2024). E-cigarettes on Instagram: Exploring vape content via an Australian vaping influencer [journal article]. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 22(January), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/175619  
Jancey, J., Crawford, G., Bowman, E., Wolf, K., Leaver, T., Bialous, S., & McCausland, K. (2024). Perceptions of social media harms and potential management strategies: vaping case study. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 876.  
Jancey, J., Leaver, T., Wolf, K., Freeman, B., Chai, K., Bialous, S., Bromberg, M., Adams, P., Mcleod, M., Carey, R. N., & McCausland, K. (2023). Promotion of E-Cigarettes on TikTok and Regulatory Considerations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(10), 5761. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/10/5761 
McCausland, K., Maycock, B., Leaver, T., Wolf, K., Freeman, B., & Jancey, J. (2021). “Is it banned? Is it illegal?”: Navigating Western Australia's regulatory environment for e-cigarettes. International Journal of Drug Policy, 94, 103177.  
McCausland, K., Maycock, B., Leaver, T., Wolf, K., Freeman, B., Thomson, K., & Jancey, J. (2020). E-cigarette promotion on twitter in Australia: content analysis of tweets. JMIR public health and surveillance, 6(4), e15577.

Aims

This project aims to explore the promotion and proliferation of nicotine pouches in Australia and other high-income countries.

Objectives

To map nicotine pouch regulations in Australia and other high-income countries. 
To map digital marketing strategies of nicotine pouches in Australia and other high-income countries. 
To identify channels of marketing of nicotine pouches in Australia and other high-income countries.  
To understand how nicotine pouches are being accessed by Australian consumers.

Significance 

This study will contribute to the existing understanding of the effectiveness of any existing regulation for online retailers and social media platform’s own content policies in limiting the sharing of novel nicotine products, such as nicotine pouches and other harmful content. The findings will inform health advocates and policymakers, aiding in the development of effective response strategies.

This project will be supported by the supervisors and managed accordingly.
 

An internship may be available for this project. Australian smoking and Health is a peak advocacy agency

• Future Students

• Faculty of Health Sciences

• Higher Degree by Research

• Australian Citizen
• Australian Permanent Resident
• New Zealand Citizen
• Permanent Humanitarian Visa
• International Student

• Merit Based

The annual scholarship package, covering both stipend and tuition fees, amounts to approximately $70,000 per year.

In 2024, the RTP stipend scholarship offers $35,000 per annum for a duration of up to three years. Exceptional progress and adherence to timelines may qualify students for a six-month completion scholarship.

Selection for these scholarships involves a competitive process, with shortlisted applicants notified of outcomes by November 2024.

1

All applicable HDR courses.

Self-motivated PhD candidate; experience with undertaking qualitative research; Excellent written and verbal communication skills; previously undertaken research project management.

 

Please send your CV, academic transcripts and brief rationale why you want to join this research project via the HDR Expression of Interest form to the project lead researcher, listed below. 

You must be enrolled in a Higher Degree by Research Course at Curtin University by March 2025.

Project Lead: Dr Kahlia Strother