Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Iraq?
Iraq has no rule specific to snus or nicotine pouches. Tobacco snus is a tobacco product under the Anti-Smoking Act No. 19 of 2012, which sets an 18-year sales age and requires health warnings but does not ban smokeless tobacco, so snus is legal in principle though not sold locally. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are not named in any measure found; GSTHR records no pouch-specific law. E-cigarettes, banned since 2011, were re-permitted for import by Council of Ministers Decision No. 395 of 28 May 2025. Regional practice (Kurdistan Region) may differ. No customs allowance could be verified.
Western Asia
Iraq at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | No specific rule found | Legal |
| Possession and use | Unclear | Legal |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Unclear | Unclear |
| Online sale inside the country | Unclear | Allowed |
| Regulated | classification unclear | 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 | Unclear | Unclear |
| Legal basis | – | Anti-Smoking Act No. 19 of 2012 |
| In force since | – | 17 March 2012 |
Low confidence: Single source or inferred from general tobacco law. Treat as indicative. Research tier 2. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Iraq
Unclear, no specific rule found.
GSTHR: no available sources indicating any specific laws regarding nicotine pouches in Iraq, including sale, purchase, use or import. The 2025 decision lifting the e-cigarette import ban covers e-cigarettes, electronic hookahs and heated tobacco; oral nicotine products are not mentioned. Pouches are reportedly available informally in some cities but this could not be verified.
Sources: Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR), Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Tobacco snus in Iraq
Legal under general tobacco law, 18+.
TCL (updated 24 January 2022): sale prohibited to under-18s; no restrictions on internet or vending-machine sales, single sticks or small packs. No provision on smokeless or oral tobacco is recorded. GSTHR: no online resources on specific laws on snus in Iraq. GSTHR also notes general tobacco rules 'prohibit importing for personal use' in the HTP context; this was not verified for snus. Swedish snus is not distributed in Iraq.
Sources: Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR)
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Iraq
| For personal use | Unclear Iraq's General Customs Authority allowance page could not be retrieved. Smokeless tobacco is not banned, so a personal supply of snus is unlikely to be questioned; pouches are of uncertain status. Kurdistan Region airports apply their own practice. |
| Declaration | Unclear |
| Penalties | No specific penalty information found. |
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Iraq?
Frequently asked questions
Is snus legal in Iraq?
There is no snus-specific rule. Snus is a tobacco product under the Anti-Smoking Act No. 19 of 2012, legal for adults aged 18 or over, but it is not sold in Iraq.
Are nicotine pouches legal in Iraq?
Unclear. No measure naming pouches was found and GSTHR records no rule on their sale, use or import.
Can I bring snus or nicotine pouches into Iraq?
The customs allowance could not be verified. Oral tobacco is not banned, so a personal supply of snus should be tolerated. Since May 2025 e-cigarettes may also be imported again.
What is the tobacco age limit in Iraq?
18. Sale of tobacco products to persons under 18 is prohibited.
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
- Iraq: tobacco control law summary – Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (NGO / research, 24 January 2022; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“The law does not restrict the sale of tobacco products via vending machines or the internet, nor are there restrictions on the sale of single cigarettes or small packets.”
- Iraq country profile – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“No online resources are available regarding specific laws on snus in Iraq, including its importation, sale, purchase, and use.”
- Iraq: laws (Anti-Smoking Act No. 19 of 2012; Council of Ministers Decision No. 395 of 2025) – Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (NGO / research, 28 May 2025; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Council of Ministers Decision No. 395 of 2025 lifts the ban on importing e-cigarettes, electronic hookahs, and heated tobacco products.”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.