Countries › Africa › Mauritius
Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Mauritius?
Mauritius bans smokeless tobacco outright: the Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations 2022 prohibit manufacture, import, distribution and sale of smokeless tobacco, covering tobacco snus. Nicotine pouches are reported banned since 2023, covering both sale and use, alongside e-cigarettes. An older 2014 industry source called snus available, but that predates the ban. Travellers get a 250 g general tobacco duty-free allowance (from 1 September 2025), which does not override the smokeless-tobacco and pouch ban.
Eastern Africa
Mauritius at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | Banned | Banned |
| Possession and use | Banned | Unclear |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Online sale inside the country | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Regulated | as a nicotine product (own category) | 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 | Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations 2022, as amended 2023 | Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations 2022, issued under the Public Health Act 1925 |
| In force since | 1 January 2023 | 1 January 2022 |
Medium confidence: Based on consistent secondary sources; primary text not yet verified. Research tier 2. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Mauritius
Banned (sale and use), since 2023.
GSTHR reports nicotine pouches are prohibited by law in Mauritius, covering both sale and use, with products not marketed in the country. Whether import for strictly personal use is separately penalised is not documented; treat any personal supply as at risk of seizure given the general ban.
Tobacco snus in Mauritius
Banned for manufacture, import, distribution and sale.
Tobacco Control Laws' summary states the regulations prohibit the manufacture, import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of smokeless tobacco products in Mauritius, which covers Swedish-style snus. A separate GSTHR entry citing a 2014 industry source describes snus as legal and marketed, but that predates the 2022 regulations by nearly a decade and appears superseded. General tobacco sale age limit is 18.
Sources: Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mauritius
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Mauritius
| For personal use | Not allowed The Mauritius Revenue Authority's general duty-free allowance is 250 g of tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes) per traveller aged 18+, effective from 1 September 2025, combined with one of three alcohol options. This is a general tobacco allowance; it does not create an exception to the specific ban on smokeless tobacco products and nicotine pouches, whose manufacture, import, distribution and sale are prohibited outright. |
| Declaration | Unclear |
| Penalties | No specific penalty information found. |
The MRA allowances page itself does not distinguish smokeless tobacco or nicotine pouches from ordinary cigarettes, but the separate public health regulations ban import of smokeless tobacco and nicotine pouches specifically, which as a more specific rule should take precedence for these products.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Mauritius?
Buying snus and pouches in Mauritius
- Nicotine pouches sold in shops: No
- Tobacco snus sold in shops: No
Frequently asked questions
Is snus legal in Mauritius?
No. The Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations 2022 ban the manufacture, import, distribution and sale of smokeless tobacco products, which includes Swedish-style snus. An older 2014 industry source described snus as available, but that predates the current ban.
Are nicotine pouches legal in Mauritius?
No. Nicotine pouches are reported to be prohibited by law in Mauritius since 2023, covering both sale and use, alongside e-cigarettes and other novel nicotine products.
Can I bring snus or nicotine pouches to Mauritius as a tourist?
Not safely. Mauritius has a general 250 g duty-free tobacco allowance, but smokeless tobacco and nicotine pouches are specifically banned from import under the 2022/2023 public health regulations, separate from the general tobacco allowance.
What is the general tobacco duty-free allowance for Mauritius?
Travellers 18 or over may bring 250 g of tobacco (cigars/cigarettes) duty-free, paired with one of three alcohol allowance options, effective from 1 September 2025. This does not apply to smokeless tobacco or nicotine pouches, which are banned outright.
Nearby in the atlas
- Algeria – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Angola – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Benin – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Botswana – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal with restrictions
- Burkina Faso – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Burundi – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Cameroon – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Cape Verde – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Central African Republic – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Chad – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
Where are nicotine pouches legal?Where is snus legal?Strength limits by countryAge limits by country
Sources
- Mauritius Legal Summary – Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of smokeless tobacco products in Mauritius”
- Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations 2022 (PDF) – Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mauritius (Legislation, 1 January 2022; accessed 4 September 2026) , not re-verified
- Using pouches in Mauritius / Smoking, vaping, HTP, NRT and snus in Mauritius – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Nicotine pouches are prohibited by law in Mauritius, including their sale and use”
- Allowances - Mauritius Revenue Authority – Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) (Customs; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“250 grammes of tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes)”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.