Johnpaul started using Nicotine Pouches to help him get rid of VAP, but said it just led to another addiction.

In one stage, he used 15 pouches a day, although the 16-year-old has now cut 5 pouches.

Health experts say these pouches—small pouches that fit between top lip and gum, nicknamed "Snus" by some teenagers) are addictive and can have other harmful side effects.

They are largely unregulated in the UK and there is currently no law to stop children from buying them.

Some campaigners worry that the ban on disposable VAP, which will take effect on June 1, could turn more young people to stronger nicotine pouches.

Johnpaul started using these pouches as a coping mechanism and helped him get rid of VAP.

"It just led to another addiction," he said. "It was just an instant blow. It made me forget about my surroundings.

“I won’t say I don’t like it, I do, but it still has a lot more than there are positive people.”

Johnpaul is working with other young people to raise awareness about Nicotine Pouches, part of the skills training program at charities Fast Forward and West Lothian Council.

While the packaging contains age limit warnings, John Ball said he bought them without any problem.

“At the moment, I really don’t want to stop, but I definitely want to reduce and lower the milligrams I’m going to take.

“Just keep as low as possible, so when I’m ready, it’s much easier.”

Lee, 16, said he and most of his friends use nicotine pouches - although he wishes he never started.

"Most of the time people don't know because it's hidden in your gum, and sometimes you can push it away so people really can't see it," he said.

“I have tried to stop, but it’s something you’re highly addicted to, and it’s a bad thing.

“If I could go back and not start, I would.”

Aleksandra, 16, tried nicotine pouches but said they didn't work for her.

“It was good for the first five minutes and after swallowing and spitting, it didn’t taste good.

"It burns and makes you feel sick. It's not good."

The products, she said, were sold to young people on social media and presented at train stations, and they could be easily handed over to teenagers who looked older.

Leigh Ronald of Fast Forward provides support for health and well-being, and he said young people are increasingly talking about pouches and want to find more information.

She said they are likely to look for alternatives such as nicotine pouches when they come into effect throughout the UK on June 1.

Most small bags contain six to 20 mg of nicotine (MG), while some contain 50 mg, five times higher than regular cigarettes.

These pouches are often called SNUS, although this is a product that contains tobacco and has been banned in the UK and the EU since 1992.

In the UK, the general use of nicotine bags remains low.

Studies show that about 5% of adults and those under the age of 18 have tried it, but use seems to increase and in some groups, especially young people.

A popular brand reported a 121% increase in sales in 2023.

Retailers encountered by the BBC Scotland (BBC) said they did not sell nicotine bags to under 18.

Alan McLevy is the head of VPZ manufacturing, which sells VAPES, Pouches and other Nicotine products.

He said his company has implemented a Challenge 25 policy with the goal of helping people quit smoking.

He said: "If you didn't smoke before, if you didn't smoke before, there's absolutely no need to buy a small bag. Nothing is available.

“It’s a harm-reducing technology and current smokers can find a way to stop using combustible cigarettes.”

Richard Holliday, a senior lecturer at the School of Dental Sciences at Newcastle University, said nicotine pouches are less harmful than cigarettes, but there is no risk-free.

His team recently published an article about nicotine pouches in the British Dental Journal, which was downloaded over 250,000 times.

It says more research is needed and may have an impact on oral health, such as gum recession.

"This paper is obviously moving. I think a lot of people are looking for information on this topic," he said.

Dr. Zoe Coyle, lecturer at the Edinburgh Dental Institute, also warned that repeated use of nicotine pouches can lead to gum recession and other teeth and lips problems.

“I’m particularly concerned with the use of nicotine pouches for young people,” she said.

Sheila Duffy, CEO of anti-smoking charity Ash Scotland, said teachers raised concerns about the pouches that were retailed at “short money prices.”

"It absorbs very quickly and can easily double the nicotine levels in nicotine replacement therapy. So it's very addictive," she said.

“Addiction to nicotine in any form opens up your overall profile of the product – the industry knows that.

“So it’s easy for a kid who starts using nicotine pouches to hide because they’ve been pushed through social media, which can be highly savvy and appealing, and the child is at a greater risk and has the potential to end up being a smoker.”

It is being proposed to prohibit the sale of nicotine products, including pouches, to under the age of 18.

Tobacco and VAPE bills will also cease to be distributed freely and give ministers the authority to regulate the flavor, packaging and display of various vapes and other nicotine products.

Ash Scotland said it was a step in the right direction, but was concerned that introducing new regulations would take too long.