Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Indonesia?
Indonesia is one of the few Asian countries where both products are openly legal. Snus and other oral tobacco may be sold, marketed and used, with mandatory health warnings and an excise rate that exceeds half the cigarette rate. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are also sold, including online, with no flavour restrictions. Both sit under Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024 (PP 28/2024) and the tobacco excise rules; PP 28/2024 raised the minimum age for tobacco products to 21, although older sources still cite 18. A personal supply may be brought in for own use.
South-Eastern Asia
Indonesia at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | Legal | Legal |
| Possession and use | Legal | Legal |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Allowed | Allowed |
| Online sale inside the country | Allowed | Allowed |
| Regulated | as a nicotine product (own category) | as a tobacco product |
| Minimum age | 21 | 21 |
| Nicotine strength cap | No legal cap found | No legal cap found |
| Flavours | No flavour restrictions | No flavour restrictions |
| Excise tax | Yes | Excise on snus exceeds 50% of the cigarette excise rate |
| Legal basis | Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024 (PP 28/2024); tobacco excise regulations | Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024 (PP 28/2024); tobacco excise regulations |
| In force since | 1 January 2024 | – |
Medium confidence: Based on consistent secondary sources; primary text not yet verified. Research tier 1. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Indonesia
Legal, sold openly, age 21.
Sale, online purchase and use are permitted and there are no flavour restrictions. Advertising and display rules for tobacco products under PP 28/2024 apply to nicotine products generally. No nicotine strength cap was found.
Tax: Indonesia levies excise on 'other processed tobacco products' (HPTL), the category used for oral and electronic nicotine products; no pouch-specific rate retrieved.
Sources: NicotineAtlas
Tobacco snus in Indonesia
Legal, excise applies, age 21.
Indonesia permits the sale and use of snus. Health claims on packaging are prohibited and health warnings, including pictorial warnings covering 40% of the main display areas, are mandatory for smokeless tobacco. A domestic chewing-tobacco tradition exists alongside the imported product.
Tax: Snus falls in the 'other processed tobacco products' excise class.
Sources: NicotineAtlas, Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR), Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids)
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Indonesia
| For personal use | Allowed |
| Declaration | Unclear |
| Penalties | No specific penalty information found. |
Personal import of snus and nicotine pouches is reported as permitted. The Indonesian customs pages for passenger allowances could not be retrieved, so no numeric tobacco allowance is recorded here; excise-stamped quantities above the personal allowance are dutiable.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Indonesia?
Buying snus and pouches in Indonesia
- Nicotine pouches sold in shops: Yes
- Tobacco snus sold in shops: Yes
Frequently asked questions
Are nicotine pouches legal in Indonesia?
Yes. Sale, online purchase and use are allowed, with no flavour restrictions, under Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024 and the tobacco excise rules.
Is snus legal in Indonesia?
Yes. Indonesia permits the sale and use of snus. Health warnings are mandatory and health claims are banned; excise on snus is more than half the cigarette rate.
What is the age limit for buying snus or pouches in Indonesia?
21 under PP 28/2024. Older references and the pre-2024 regulation give 18, so shops may still apply the lower age.
Can I bring snus or nicotine pouches into Indonesia?
Yes, a personal supply is permitted. No published gram allowance was retrieved, so keep quantities modest and declare anything that looks commercial.
Can I buy nicotine pouches online in Indonesia?
Yes. Online purchase is reported as allowed, unlike in most of the region.
Nearby in the atlas
- Afghanistan – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus legal
- Armenia – pouches legal, snus no specific rule found
- Azerbaijan – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus no specific rule found
- Bahrain – pouches banned, snus banned
- Bangladesh – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- Bhutan – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal with restrictions
- Brunei – pouches no specific rule found, snus banned
- Cambodia – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- China – pouches legal with restrictions, snus legal with restrictions
- Georgia – pouches legal, snus legal
Where are nicotine pouches legal?Where is snus legal?Strength limits by countryAge limits by country
Sources
- Indonesia - Snus, Nicotine Pouches & Tobacco Laws – NicotineAtlas (Other; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“legally allowed, including sale, online purchase and use, with no flavour restrictions”
- Using snus in Indonesia – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) (NGO / research, 1 January 2024; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“has favourable regulations regarding snus, permitting its sale and use”
- Indonesia Legal Summary – Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“The sale of tobacco products is prohibited to persons under the age of 18.”
- Indonesia: Minimum Legal Sales Age – Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia No. 109 of 2012 Concerning Materials that Contain Addictive Substances in Tobacco Products in the Interests of Health, Article 25(b)”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.