Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Sudan?
Oral tobacco is legal and widespread in Sudan: the local product toombak is used by several per cent of adults, and the Tobacco Control Act of 2005 and Tobacco Control Regulations of 2021 do not prohibit smokeless tobacco sales, so Swedish-style snus would be legal under the same general tobacco law (minimum age 18). Nicotine pouches are not addressed by any Sudanese rule; GSTHR records no law on them, and e-cigarettes are likewise unregulated. Enforcement of any tobacco rule has been minimal since the civil war began in April 2023. No customs allowance for oral products was found.
Northern Africa
Sudan at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | Unregulated (sold openly) | Legal |
| Possession and use | Legal | Legal |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Unclear | Unclear |
| Online sale inside the country | Unclear | Allowed |
| Regulated | not specifically regulated | as a tobacco product |
| Minimum age | No specific limit found | 18 |
| Nicotine strength cap | No legal cap found | No legal cap found |
| Flavours | No flavour restrictions | No flavour restrictions |
| Excise tax | Unclear | Unclear |
| Legal basis | – | Tobacco Control Act, 2005; Tobacco Control Regulations, 2021 |
| In force since | – | 15 January 2005 |
Low confidence: Single source or inferred from general tobacco law. Treat as indicative. Research tier 2. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Sudan
Unregulated, no specific rule.
GSTHR: 'There are no available sources indicating specific laws regarding nicotine pouches in Sudan, including their sale, purchase, use, or import.' Tobacco Control Laws records that e-cigarette sale is 'not regulated; therefore ... allowed' with no warnings, nicotine limits or age rule, which indicates the same vacuum for pouches. Whether any international pouch brand is distributed in Sudan is not documented.
Sources: Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR), Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Tobacco snus in Sudan
Legal under tobacco law, 18+.
Tobacco Control Laws: smokeless tobacco sales are allowed ('the law does not prohibit smokeless tobacco product sales'), internet sales are not restricted, and sale to under-18s is prohibited. Toombak, a fermented oral tobacco with high nicotine and nitrosamine content, is a traditional product; GSTHR cites about 7.9 per cent of the population using smokeless tobacco by 2016. Swedish snus is not commercially distributed. The 2005 Act text could not be retrieved (server error), so provisions are taken from the Tobacco Control Laws summary.
Sources: Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR)
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Sudan
| For personal use | Unclear No Sudan Customs page could be reached. With no domestic ban on oral tobacco or nicotine pouches, a personal supply is not prohibited by tobacco law, but customs practice is undocumented and border operations are disrupted by the conflict. |
| Declaration | Unclear |
| Penalties | No specific penalty information found. |
Most governments advise against all travel to Sudan; Khartoum airport has been closed or restricted since April 2023.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Sudan?
Frequently asked questions
Is snus legal in Sudan?
Yes, under general tobacco law. The Tobacco Control Act of 2005 does not prohibit smokeless tobacco, and the traditional oral tobacco toombak is widely used. Sale to under-18s is banned. Swedish snus itself is not sold in Sudan.
Are nicotine pouches legal in Sudan?
There is no rule on them. GSTHR records no Sudanese law on nicotine pouches, and e-cigarettes are also unregulated, so pouches fall into a legal vacuum with no age limit or nicotine cap.
Can I bring snus or nicotine pouches into Sudan?
Nothing in tobacco law prohibits a personal supply, but no customs allowance page could be retrieved and border controls are disrupted by the war. Treat it as unclear and carry only small quantities.
What is toombak?
Toombak is Sudan's traditional smokeless tobacco: fermented tobacco mixed with sodium bicarbonate, placed in the mouth. It is legal, cheap and used by several per cent of adults, but has very high nicotine and carcinogen levels compared with Swedish snus.
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
- Sudan: tobacco control law summary and sales restrictions – Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“The law does not prohibit smokeless tobacco product sales. [...] does not specifically prohibit or restrict the sale of tobacco products through the internet.”
- Smoking, vaping, HTP, NRT and snus in Sudan – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“There are no available sources indicating specific laws regarding nicotine pouches in Sudan, including their sale, purchase, use, or import.”
- Sudan: e-cigarettes – Tobacco Control Laws, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“The sale of e-cigarettes is not regulated; therefore, the sale of e-cigarettes is allowed.”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.