Polish president defends use of nicotine pouches during official events

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has addressed recent controversy surrounding his use of snus, a smokeless nicotine pouch, during official state functions, including a presidential debate and a high-level ceremony at the United Nations.

Appearing on Radio Zet in an interview with journalist Bogdan Rymanowski, President Nawrocki confirmed that he had been using nicotine pouches, a form of oral tobacco placed under the lip, during both events, Caliber.Az reports. 

Snus, originally popularised in Sweden, is a moist powder tobacco product that delivers nicotine without the need for combustion or inhalation. While snus is banned in many European Union countries, nicotine pouches that do not contain tobacco are legal and widely available.

The president was first observed placing an object under his upper lip during a televised presidential debate in May. This prompted speculation and criticism, which intensified after cameras caught him using a similar product again during a ceremony at UN headquarters on September 22, held to mark the 80th anniversary of the organization’s founding.

President Nawrocki told Radio Zet that in both instances, he was using a nicotine pouch. He downplayed the controversy, suggesting that public interest in the matter was exaggerated. According to Nawrocki, there was little meaningful difference between using a nicotine pouch discreetly and smoking a cigarette in public. He argued that at the UN forum, it was not uncommon to see delegates, heads of state, and their teams openly smoking cigarettes or cigars in designated areas.

He called the reaction “ridiculous” and portrayed it as an overblown attempt to manufacture scandal.

By Sabina Mammadli