Let yourself be seduced by the fruity sweetness of Velo fruits rouges, an exquisite combination of wild berries that will awaken your taste buds with its sweet and slightly acid taste » for a « balanced stimulated effect, ideal for a pleasant and long-lasting experience. »
Reading those words, you’d almost think it was a promo for a new smoothie. In reality, these are nicotine sachets, offered for sale on the Glovo delivery app. To order them, all you have to do is tick a simple box confirming that you are of legal age, and then click a few times on the app.
Snus, also known as nicotine pouches or nicopods, is now sold openly in Morocco: in tobacconists, vape shops, on delivery platforms and even by some hanouts. « Snus is sold freely in local shops or on social networks, for between 60 and 80 dirhams a box. You can even find it being sold retail, without any controls, » insists Mohamed Chahid, a member of the executive committee of the National Syndicate of Businessmen and Professionals (SNCP), in charge of relations with government bodies, when contacted by Telquel.
Young people on the front line
« The main consumers are young people and athletes. The product is offered to them directly via digital channels, without any filter or warning, » he explains. On delivery platforms, these products come with a standard warning: « Sale forbidden to minors. Product contains nicotine, an addictive substance. Not recommended for use by non-smokers or people who do not use nicotine products ». In reality, however, these messages do nothing to prevent younger people from accessing the product.
And that’s what upsets Chahid. « Snus is often perceived as a harmless alternative to cigarettes, but it contains very high levels of nicotine. Addiction sets in quickly, especially among young people », he warns.
Originating in Sweden, where its consumption dates back to the early 19th century, snus is not unlike kala, a chewing tobacco (often mixed with spices) traditionally consumed in Morocco. In both cases, nicotine is absorbed through direct contact with the oral mucosa.
The difference lies in the presentation. Whereas kala is often a home-made product, sold informally without careful packaging, snus is packaged in calibrated boxes containing small ready-to-use sachets, often flavored with fruit, coffee or mint. In short, we’ve gone from a rustic product to a modernized, marketed version with a cleaner, more attractive image.
A sort of « lkala 2.0 », snus is a flavored pouch of tobacco that appeals to young people. Presented as an alternative to cigarettes, it is sold without any controls in Morocco, even though it is highly addictive and poses serious health risks.
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Serious risks
« Behind its discreet format, snus entails serious risks: oral lesions, cancers of the mouth and pancreas, cardiovascular disorders. »
However, the trade unionist sounds the alarm on the health risks: « Behind its discreet format, this product poses serious risks: oral lesions, cancers of the mouth and pancreas, cardiovascular disorders. »
But are these little pouches more dangerous than cigarettes? « Snus is still tobacco, just like chewing tobacco or vaping. The only difference between snus and cigarettes is that snus does not cause passive smoking: it only makes the consumer ill. This is perhaps its only advantage, » points out Dr Tayeb Hamdi, a doctor and researcher in health policy.
But the risks it poses are very real, he continues: cancers of the mouth, tongue and pancreas, cardiovascular disease, strong dependence on nicotine, complications for pregnant women and their fetuses. « Contrary to manufacturers’ claims, no scientific study has shown that snus helps people to stop smoking. On the contrary, many people use it alongside cigarettes, which multiplies the dangers », warns the doctor.
Even more worryingly, snus often acts as a springboard to smoking. « We find that these tobacco pouches act as a gateway. Some consumers, particularly young people, end up smoking on a daily basis. The discreet nature of snus makes the situation even worse: it can be consumed unnoticed by those around them, particularly by young people or even children« , insists Tayeb Hamdi. Before concluding: « The real question is whether these products are not creating a new generation of nicotine addicts, with all the risks of switching to other drugs. »
A dangerous legal vacuum
« Morocco has no clear legislation governing the import, sale or consumption of snus. This legal vacuum facilitates its proliferation »
In France, the sale of tobacco-based snus has been banned since 1992. According to the French Interministerial Mission for the Fight against Drugs and Addictive Behavior (MILDECA), this product is considered more aggressive than cigarettes, as nicotine, directly absorbed through the oral mucosa, acts very quickly on the brain. Each sachet contains between 3 and 20 mg of nicotine, up to three times the dose of a conventional cigarette. As for nicotine pouches – which do not contain tobacco but crystallized nicotine – they will be banned in France from March 2026.
In Morocco, the nicotine levels found in these products are often higher, while many toxic or carcinogenic substances are added: nitrosated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, formaldehyde and even radionuclides.
What’s the regulatory situation? « Morocco has no clear legislation governing the import, sale or consumption of snus. This legal vacuum facilitates its proliferation », points out Mohamed Chahid. And the trade unionist calls on the customs services to « step up border controls, as it is through the borders that a large proportion of these products arrive. »
He also calls for compulsory labelling to identify the manufacturer and importer, and for the introduction of a specific law banning snus or, failing that, strictly regulating its marketing, with sanctions against online sales and effective digital surveillance.
Written in French by Ghita Ismaili; Edited in English by AngloMedia Group.
