Countries › Oceania › Australia
Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Australia?
Nicotine pouches are prescription-only medicines in Australia: none is TGA-approved, so shops cannot sell them and import has only been possible with an Australian prescription; from 24 July 2026 the Border Force says travellers cannot bring pouches in at all. Tobacco snus and other smokeless tobacco have been banned from sale since June 1991 (now under the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023), but a private person may import up to 1.5 kg for own use with duty paid; travellers get 25 g of tobacco duty-free.
Australia and New Zealand
Australia at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | Prescription only | Banned |
| Possession and use | Unclear | Legal |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| Online sale inside the country | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Regulated | as a medicine | as a tobacco product |
| Minimum age | No specific limit found | 18 |
| Nicotine strength cap | No legal cap found | No legal cap found |
| Flavours | Unclear | Unclear |
| Excise tax | No product-specific excise | Yes |
| Legal basis | Therapeutic Goods Act 1989; Poisons Standard (nicotine, Schedule 4); Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956; state and territory medicines and poisons laws | Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023, Chapter 4 (permanent ban on certain tobacco products), continuing Consumer Protection Notice No. 10 of 1991; Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 |
| In force since | 1 January 2024 | 1 June 1991 |
High confidence: Checked against legislation or an official government source. Research tier 1. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Australia
Prescription only; no retail sale; travellers cannot bring.
TGA: nicotine pouches are therapeutic goods; none is on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, so retail sale (tobacconists, convenience stores, online) is unlawful and any pouch not intended for smoking cessation is a prescription medicine. Import has only been lawful under the Personal Importation Scheme with a prescription from an Australian-registered doctor (max 3-month supply). The ABF states that from 24 July 2026 pouches cannot be imported or supplied unless ARTG-entered or covered by a statutory exemption in the Therapeutic Goods Act, and that travellers cannot bring nicotine pouches into Australia. Possession: lawful with a prescription; without one, state/territory poisons law may apply. Advertising is prohibited. Penalties for unlawful supply or advertising: up to 5 years imprisonment or 4,000 penalty units.
Tax: Treated as a therapeutic good, not a tobacco product; no tobacco excise. Not lawfully sold at retail, so no excise regime exists.
Sources: Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australian Border Force, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Tobacco snus in Australia
Sale banned since 1991; import up to 1.5 kg for own use.
Chewing tobacco and oral snuff (which covers snus) have been prohibited from commercial supply in Australia since June 1991. The ban moved from consumer law to the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 on 1 April 2024, administered by the Department of Health. Private import for own use remains possible: ABF allows cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff intended for oral use up to 1.5 kg to be imported, including by international mail, provided the goods are declared and duty and taxes are paid. Larger quantities need an ABF import permit. Under-18s may not bring tobacco into Australia. Section 128 of the 2023 Act creates an offence of possessing permanently banned tobacco products; scope (commercial quantities) not verified, so personal possession is treated as tolerated but not formally confirmed.
Tax: Imported oral snuff and chewing tobacco are subject to customs duty and taxes on entry (ABF); the applicable per-kilogram rate was not verified.
Sources: Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australian Border Force, Australian Border Force, ACCC Product Safety Australia, Federal Register of Legislation
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Australia
| For personal use | Allowed with limits Tobacco snus: 25 g of tobacco products duty-free per adult (18+), one open packet extra; above that all tobacco is dutiable and must be declared. Nicotine pouches: travellers cannot bring them into Australia (ABF, from 24 July 2026). |
| Declaration | Required |
| Penalties | Failure to declare tobacco above the concession can result in penalties, prosecution or visa cancellation; unlawful nicotine pouch imports may be seized and destroyed. |
If you exceed the duty-free tobacco limit, duty is payable on all tobacco, not just the excess. Postal import of oral snuff/chewing tobacco up to 1.5 kg is permitted with duty paid; other tobacco products cannot be mailed without a permit.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Australia?
Buying snus and pouches in Australia
- Nicotine pouches sold in shops: No
- Tobacco snus sold in shops: No
Pending and proposed changes
- ABF states that from 24 July 2026 nicotine pouches cannot be imported or supplied unless entered on the ARTG or covered by a statutory exemption pathway in the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, and that travellers cannot bring nicotine pouches into Australia. How this interacts with the Personal Importation Scheme was not confirmed on the TGA site at time of research. Expected: 2026-07-24. Status: adopted not in force.
Frequently asked questions
Are nicotine pouches legal in Australia?
Only as a prescription medicine. No nicotine pouch is approved by the TGA, so tobacconists, convenience stores and websites cannot legally sell them. Consumers have been able to import them with an Australian doctor's prescription under the Personal Importation Scheme.
Can I bring ZYN or other nicotine pouches into Australia?
No. The Australian Border Force states that from 24 July 2026 travellers cannot bring nicotine pouches into Australia; unlawful imports can be seized and destroyed.
Is snus legal in Australia?
Selling snus or any oral tobacco has been banned since June 1991, now under the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023. You cannot buy it in Australia, but a private person may import up to 1.5 kg for own use and pay duty.
How much snus can I bring into Australia?
Adults get 25 g of tobacco products duty-free (plus one open packet). Anything above that must be declared and duty is charged on the whole amount. Oral snuff and chewing tobacco up to 1.5 kg may also be posted to you if declared and duty is paid.
Can I order snus or nicotine pouches online to Australia?
Snus: yes, up to 1.5 kg by mail for personal use with duty paid. Nicotine pouches: only with a valid Australian prescription, and the ABF says import is unlawful from 24 July 2026 unless the product is TGA-approved or covered by a statutory exemption.
Nearby in the atlas
- Fiji – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus banned
- Kiribati – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Marshall Islands – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Micronesia – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Nauru – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- New Zealand – pouches banned, snus banned
- Palau – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Papua New Guinea – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Samoa – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Solomon Islands – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus legal with restrictions
Where are nicotine pouches legal?Where is snus legal?Strength limits by countryAge limits by country
Sources
- Nicotine pouches – Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) (Regulator, 24 June 2024; accessed 4 September 2026) , not re-verified
“Any nicotine pouch that is not expressly intended for smoking cessation - including when represented to be for recreational use - is a prescription medicine under Australian law. This means that it is illegal for consumers to buy nicotine pouches online or from retail outlets without a valid prescription from an Australian doctor.”
- Vaping goods and nicotine pouches (Prohibited goods) – Australian Border Force (Customs, 27 July 2026; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“From 24 July 2026, nicotine pouches cannot lawfully be imported into or supplied in Australia unless they are: entered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods; subject to a statutory exemption pathway contained in the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. Travellers cannot bring nicotine pouches into Australia.”
- Tobacco (Prohibited goods) – Australian Border Force (Customs, 27 July 2026; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“If you are aged 18 or over, you are allowed to bring in duty-free: one unopen packet of up to 25 cigarettes or 25 grams of other tobacco products and one open packet of cigarettes. [...] Cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff intended for oral use up to 1.5kg are not subject to the same condition and can be imported through international mail.”
- Importing cigars, chewing tobacco and snuffs – Australian Border Force (Customs; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Cigars, chewing tobacco and snuffs intended for oral use (up to 1.5kg) are permitted to be imported through international mail. Importers of these products must correctly declare their goods and pay all duties and taxes in order to receive their items.”
- Smokeless tobacco products ban – ACCC Product Safety Australia (Regulator; accessed 4 September 2026) , not re-verified
“From 1 April 2024, the Department of Health and Aged Care became responsible for administering and enforcing the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023. This includes the ban on smokeless tobacco products.”
- Personal Importation Scheme – Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) (Regulator; accessed 4 September 2026) , not re-verified
“If the medicine is prescription-only in Australia, you must hold a valid Australian prescription or written authority at the time of importation. The import cannot be more than a 3-month supply at the maximum prescribed dose”
- Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023, Chapter 4 - Permanent bans on certain tobacco products – Federal Register of Legislation (Legislation, 12 December 2023; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Chapter 4—Permanent bans on certain tobacco products [...] 126 Tobacco products that are permanently banned [...] 127 Dealing in permanently banned tobacco products 128 Possessing permanently banned tobacco products”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.