Are Nicotine Pouches Permissible After Quitting Smoking?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
What is the ruling on using nicotine pouches for recreational use or stress relief? I quit smoking through them, but now use them regularly for pleasure and coping.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
It will not be permissible to use nicotine pouches for recreational or stress relief once you have quit smoking.
Nicotine pouches, like other nicotine products, can cause dependence and withdrawal symptoms. The pouches may also lead to oral health and cardiovascular issues.
Marketing to Youth
There are concerns about the marketing of nicotine pouches, especially their flavors and availability, which could encourage use among young people. While some see them as a harm reduction option, they can perpetuate nicotine addiction.
Allah Most High said,
“Spend in the cause of Allah and do not let your own hands throw you into destruction (by withholding). And do good, for Allah certainly loves the good-doers.” [Quran, 2:195]
In light of the above and applying the Islamic legal maxim “there should be no harm to oneself nor others,” using nicotine pouches in this way will be impermissible, as it ultimately exposes one to significant health risks.
Related
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- Are Oral Nicotine Pouches Safe? | Johns Hopkins
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- Is Working in the Tobacco Industry or as a Newsagent Selling …
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance? You can choose from the Islamic Studies Curriculum and progress through each course step by step.
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
