Snus and nicotine pouch laws in Asia
Across the 50 Asiaan countries covered so far, nicotine pouches are legal to sell in 16 and banned in 9; tobacco snus is legal to sell in 21 and banned in 18. Several Asian states treat any novel nicotine product as prohibited to import (Singapore, Thailand), while Japan regulates tobacco-free pouches as pharmaceuticals. Data verified 4 September 2026.
| Country | Nicotine pouches | Tobacco snus | Age | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Unregulated (sold openly) Unregulated, no specific law | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Armenia | Legal Legal, 18+, sold openly | No specific rule found Unclear, general tobacco law likely applies | 18 | |
| Azerbaijan | Unregulated (sold openly) Allowed per GSTHR, details unclear | No specific rule found Unclear, general tobacco law likely applies | 18 | |
| Bahrain | Banned Banned (import, sale, use) | Banned Banned (import, sale, use) | – | |
| Bangladesh | No specific rule found Unclear: sources conflict, factory approved 2025 | Legal Legal as smokeless tobacco, 18+ | 18 | |
| Bhutan | No specific rule found Unclear, no information found | Legal with restrictions Legal since July 2021, 18+, authorised shops | 18 | |
| Brunei | No specific rule found Unclear; e-cigarettes banned | Banned Sale banned (chewing tobacco ban), low confidence | 18 | |
| Cambodia | No specific rule found Unclear; vapes and HTPs banned | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| China | Legal with restrictions State monopoly, licence required, 18+ | Legal with restrictions State monopoly, licence required, 18+ | 18 | |
| Georgia | Legal Legal, 18+, no online sale | Legal Legal, 18+, no online sale | 18 | |
| Hong Kong | No specific rule found Not sold; unregistered nicotine product | Banned Banned to import and sell since 1987 | 18 | |
| India | Banned Banned for sale (unapproved drug); sold informally | Banned Sale banned; import rules unclear | 18 | |
| Indonesia | Legal Legal, sold openly, age 21 | Legal Legal, excise applies, age 21 | 21 | |
| Iran | No specific rule found Unclear, no product-specific rule found | No specific rule found Unclear, no product-specific rule found | – | |
| Iraq | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Israel | Unregulated (sold openly) Not specifically regulated (check for new rules) | Legal Legal, 18+, no advertising | 18 | |
| Japan | Prescription only No approved product, not sold, 20+ | Legal Legal, 20+, rarely sold | 20 | |
| Jordan | No specific rule found Unclear; JFDA regulates vapes, not pouches | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Kazakhstan | Banned Banned (import and sale) | Banned Banned (import and sale) | 21 | |
| Kuwait | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific law until 2027 rule | No specific rule found Unclear, dated source says legal | – | |
| Kyrgyzstan | No specific rule found Unclear, not named in law | Banned Banned as smokeless tobacco (naswar exempted) | 18 | |
| Laos | No specific rule found Unclear; vapes, HTPs and NRT banned | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Lebanon | Unregulated (sold openly) Legal, largely unregulated | Unregulated (sold openly) Legal, largely unregulated | – | |
| Macau | No specific rule found Unclear, not named in law | Banned Banned: sale (2018) and import (2022) | 18 | |
| Malaysia | Prescription only Pharmacy or prescription only (Group C poison) | No specific rule found Unclear; no legal retail market | 18 | |
| Maldives | Legal with restrictions Treated as tobacco: 21+, generational ban | Legal with restrictions Legal, 21+, born before 2007 only | 21 | |
| Mongolia | Unregulated (sold openly) Unregulated, no rule found | Unregulated (sold openly) Unregulated, no rule found | – | |
| Myanmar | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Nepal | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| North Korea | No specific rule found Unclear, no information | No specific rule found Unclear, no information | – | |
| Oman | No specific rule found Unclear, likely covered by smokeless tobacco ban | Banned Banned (import and sale) | – | |
| Pakistan | Unregulated (sold openly) Legal, unregulated consumer product, 18+ | Legal Legal, 18+, no specific rules | 18 | |
| Palestine | No specific rule found Unclear, no data found | No specific rule found Unclear, dated source says allowed | – | |
| Philippines | Legal with restrictions Legal consumer product, 18+, registration required | Legal with restrictions Legal consumer product, 18+, registration required | 18 | |
| Qatar | Banned Banned (reported), do not import | Banned Banned: import, sale and distribution | 18 | |
| Saudi Arabia | Legal Reported legal, 18+ (secondary source) | No specific rule found Contested: sources conflict | 18 | |
| Singapore | Banned Banned, including possession and use | Banned Banned as prohibited smokeless tobacco | 21 | |
| South Korea | Legal with restrictions Legal but taxed as tobacco, 19+, no online sale | Legal with restrictions Legal as tobacco, 19+, not sold | 19 | |
| Sri Lanka | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Banned Banned (smokeless tobacco, since 2016) | 21 | |
| Syria | No specific rule found Unclear, no rule found | No specific rule found Unclear, dated source says legal | – | |
| Taiwan | Banned Banned (imitation tobacco product), incl. use | Banned Banned: import prohibited, no legal sale | 20 | |
| Tajikistan | Banned Banned for sale (reported) | Banned Banned for sale | – | |
| Thailand | Legal with restrictions Legal to possess; sale only via licensed shops, no online | Banned Banned: import, sale and use prohibited | 20 | |
| Timor-Leste | No specific rule found Unclear; e-cigarettes banned | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 17+ | 17 | |
| Türkiye | Banned Banned (import ban, no licensed sale) | Banned Banned (no licensed sale) | 18 | |
| Turkmenistan | No specific rule found Unclear, likely banned or unavailable | Banned Banned | – | |
| United Arab Emirates | Legal with restrictions Legal since Jul 2025, 18+, licensed sellers | Banned Import and sale prohibited (secondary source) | 18 | |
| Uzbekistan | Banned Banned (nasvay exempted) | Banned Banned | – | |
| Vietnam | No specific rule found No specific rule, no legal market | No specific rule found Unclear; recorded as banned by GSTHR | 18 | |
| Yemen | No specific rule found Unclear, no data found | No specific rule found Unclear, no data found | – |
By subregion
Central Asia
| Country | Nicotine pouches | Tobacco snus | Age | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | Banned Banned (import and sale) | Banned Banned (import and sale) | 21 | |
| Kyrgyzstan | No specific rule found Unclear, not named in law | Banned Banned as smokeless tobacco (naswar exempted) | 18 | |
| Tajikistan | Banned Banned for sale (reported) | Banned Banned for sale | – | |
| Turkmenistan | No specific rule found Unclear, likely banned or unavailable | Banned Banned | – | |
| Uzbekistan | Banned Banned (nasvay exempted) | Banned Banned | – |
Eastern Asia
| Country | Nicotine pouches | Tobacco snus | Age | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Legal with restrictions State monopoly, licence required, 18+ | Legal with restrictions State monopoly, licence required, 18+ | 18 | |
| Hong Kong | No specific rule found Not sold; unregistered nicotine product | Banned Banned to import and sell since 1987 | 18 | |
| Japan | Prescription only No approved product, not sold, 20+ | Legal Legal, 20+, rarely sold | 20 | |
| Macau | No specific rule found Unclear, not named in law | Banned Banned: sale (2018) and import (2022) | 18 | |
| Mongolia | Unregulated (sold openly) Unregulated, no rule found | Unregulated (sold openly) Unregulated, no rule found | – | |
| North Korea | No specific rule found Unclear, no information | No specific rule found Unclear, no information | – | |
| South Korea | Legal with restrictions Legal but taxed as tobacco, 19+, no online sale | Legal with restrictions Legal as tobacco, 19+, not sold | 19 | |
| Taiwan | Banned Banned (imitation tobacco product), incl. use | Banned Banned: import prohibited, no legal sale | 20 |
South-Eastern Asia
| Country | Nicotine pouches | Tobacco snus | Age | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunei | No specific rule found Unclear; e-cigarettes banned | Banned Sale banned (chewing tobacco ban), low confidence | 18 | |
| Cambodia | No specific rule found Unclear; vapes and HTPs banned | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Indonesia | Legal Legal, sold openly, age 21 | Legal Legal, excise applies, age 21 | 21 | |
| Laos | No specific rule found Unclear; vapes, HTPs and NRT banned | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Malaysia | Prescription only Pharmacy or prescription only (Group C poison) | No specific rule found Unclear; no legal retail market | 18 | |
| Myanmar | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Philippines | Legal with restrictions Legal consumer product, 18+, registration required | Legal with restrictions Legal consumer product, 18+, registration required | 18 | |
| Singapore | Banned Banned, including possession and use | Banned Banned as prohibited smokeless tobacco | 21 | |
| Thailand | Legal with restrictions Legal to possess; sale only via licensed shops, no online | Banned Banned: import, sale and use prohibited | 20 | |
| Timor-Leste | No specific rule found Unclear; e-cigarettes banned | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 17+ | 17 | |
| Vietnam | No specific rule found No specific rule, no legal market | No specific rule found Unclear; recorded as banned by GSTHR | 18 |
Southern Asia
| Country | Nicotine pouches | Tobacco snus | Age | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Unregulated (sold openly) Unregulated, no specific law | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Bangladesh | No specific rule found Unclear: sources conflict, factory approved 2025 | Legal Legal as smokeless tobacco, 18+ | 18 | |
| Bhutan | No specific rule found Unclear, no information found | Legal with restrictions Legal since July 2021, 18+, authorised shops | 18 | |
| India | Banned Banned for sale (unapproved drug); sold informally | Banned Sale banned; import rules unclear | 18 | |
| Iran | No specific rule found Unclear, no product-specific rule found | No specific rule found Unclear, no product-specific rule found | – | |
| Maldives | Legal with restrictions Treated as tobacco: 21+, generational ban | Legal with restrictions Legal, 21+, born before 2007 only | 21 | |
| Nepal | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Pakistan | Unregulated (sold openly) Legal, unregulated consumer product, 18+ | Legal Legal, 18+, no specific rules | 18 | |
| Sri Lanka | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Banned Banned (smokeless tobacco, since 2016) | 21 |
Western Asia
| Country | Nicotine pouches | Tobacco snus | Age | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armenia | Legal Legal, 18+, sold openly | No specific rule found Unclear, general tobacco law likely applies | 18 | |
| Azerbaijan | Unregulated (sold openly) Allowed per GSTHR, details unclear | No specific rule found Unclear, general tobacco law likely applies | 18 | |
| Bahrain | Banned Banned (import, sale, use) | Banned Banned (import, sale, use) | – | |
| Georgia | Legal Legal, 18+, no online sale | Legal Legal, 18+, no online sale | 18 | |
| Iraq | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific rule found | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Israel | Unregulated (sold openly) Not specifically regulated (check for new rules) | Legal Legal, 18+, no advertising | 18 | |
| Jordan | No specific rule found Unclear; JFDA regulates vapes, not pouches | Legal Legal under general tobacco law, 18+ | 18 | |
| Kuwait | No specific rule found Unclear, no specific law until 2027 rule | No specific rule found Unclear, dated source says legal | – | |
| Lebanon | Unregulated (sold openly) Legal, largely unregulated | Unregulated (sold openly) Legal, largely unregulated | – | |
| Oman | No specific rule found Unclear, likely covered by smokeless tobacco ban | Banned Banned (import and sale) | – | |
| Palestine | No specific rule found Unclear, no data found | No specific rule found Unclear, dated source says allowed | – | |
| Qatar | Banned Banned (reported), do not import | Banned Banned: import, sale and distribution | 18 | |
| Saudi Arabia | Legal Reported legal, 18+ (secondary source) | No specific rule found Contested: sources conflict | 18 | |
| Syria | No specific rule found Unclear, no rule found | No specific rule found Unclear, dated source says legal | – | |
| Türkiye | Banned Banned (import ban, no licensed sale) | Banned Banned (no licensed sale) | 18 | |
| United Arab Emirates | Legal with restrictions Legal since Jul 2025, 18+, licensed sellers | Banned Import and sale prohibited (secondary source) | 18 | |
| Yemen | No specific rule found Unclear, no data found | No specific rule found Unclear, no data found | – |
Other regions
Information on SnusAtlas is compiled from legislation, government sources and reputable secondary sources, and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice. Rules change; always check the official source linked on each page before you buy, carry or ship nicotine products. Nicotine is addictive. This site is for adults only.