Portugal regulates tobacco-related products and nicotine pouches

Portugal is seeing shifts in its tobacco-related product landscape due to evolving legislation and new market entries. Historically, chocolate cigarettes were banned under Law No. 37/2007, known as the Tobacco Law. This legislation prohibited food and sweets shaped like tobacco products to prevent the normalization of smoking behaviors among children.

More recently, nicotine pouches—tobacco-free products placed between the lip and gum—have entered the formal Portuguese market. Following the 2026 State Budget, these pouches are now subject to Special Consumption Tax (IEC) at a rate of 6.5 cents per gram, effectively ending their previous legal limbo. Major companies, including British American Tobacco and Tabaqueira (a Philip Morris International subsidiary), have launched brands such as Velo and Zyn to target adult smokers. While these products are marketed as smoke-free alternatives, health authorities and specialists have raised concerns regarding their risks and have called for stricter advertising regulations.