Let’s cut to the chase: Ireland just hit disposable vapes with a ban and clamped down on nicotine pouches like they’re a crime, but the UK? We’re over here sipping tea going, “Hold my Sunday roast”—new polls say we’d rather fix the problem than ban the solution. We Vape’s latest survey of 1,038 Brits dropped some spicy truths: 44.5% of us think nicotine pouches need rules, not a total shutdown, and 56% want a 20mg strength cap. As someone who’s watched a friend quit cigarettes with these pouches (no more stinking coats or early-morning coughs 
), let’s break down why this “pragmatic vibe” beats Ireland’s “ban first, ask later” move.
First: 44.5% for Regulation > 9.9% for Bans—We’re Not Here for Extremes 
Let’s talk numbers: Only 9.9% of Brits want to ban nicotine pouches outright. To that 9.9%? Respect, but have you met a smoker trying to quit? My mate Tom spent 5 years struggling with gum and patches—until he tried a minty nicotine pouch. Now he’s 6 months smoke-free, and he says, “Banning these would’ve pushed me back to cigarettes.” That’s the vibe of the 44.5% crowd: We get that “ban all the things” doesn’t work—it just makes people buy sketchy stuff from the back of a van (remember when booze was banned? Spoiler: It didn’t end drinking).
Even better? 30.4% think these pouches should be recommended in quit services. Imagine that: A tool that actually helps people kick cigs, instead of just yelling “don’t smoke!” It’s like giving someone a ladder to climb out of a hole, instead of telling them to “just jump.” Makes sense, right?
56% Want a 20mg Cap—“20 is Plenty” for Everyone 
Here’s the other win: 55.9% of us back a 20mg nicotine strength limit (shoutout to We Vape’s “20isPlenty” initiative). This isn’t some random number—it’s the sweet spot. For quitters like Tom? 20mg calms his cravings without making his hands shake. For teens (who the rules are really for)? It’s low enough to avoid accidental overuse, but not so low that it’s useless for adults.
Compare that to the UK government’s current move: They’re only setting age limits (no kids allowed—duh), but no strength cap. MPs have been begging for it, but nothing yet. The poll says it all: Only 7% of us think the government’s 控烟 (tobacco control) game is “strong.” 7%! That’s like saying “my umbrella works great” while standing in a hurricane 
. 45.3% say it’s “weak”—and honestly? They’re not wrong. My local corner shop still sells pouches to 16-year-olds (I saw it last week)—age limits mean nothing without actual checks.
Ireland’s Ban vs UK’s Pragmatism: Who’s Got It Right? 
vs 
Ireland’s move to ban disposable vapes and restrict pouches sounds tough—but it’s missing the point. Richard Crosby from UK’s ConsideratePouchers put it best: “Bans punish adults trying to quit, not the problem.” Think about it: If you take away a safe-ish alternative to cigarettes, what do people do? They go back to cigarettes. That’s not “public health”—that’s “public health theater.”
The UK’s poll shows we want better: Rules that stop teens from buying pouches, cap strength so it’s safe, and let adults use them to quit. It’s not “pro-nicotine”—it’s “pro-common sense.” I’d rather my tax money go to enforcing age checks than chasing people who just want to stop smoking.
Let’s Chat: What Do You Think? 
Have you used nicotine pouches to quit? Or do you think 20mg is too strict (or not strict enough)? I’m willing to bet most of us are in the “let’s make it work, not break it” camp. The poll proves we’re tired of extreme policies—we just want tools that help people, not hurt them.
Drop a comment below: Team Regulation or Team Ban? And if you’ve got a quit story with pouches—share it! Let’s show the government that “pragmatic” beats “punitive” every time. Happy (smoke-free) days ahead! 
