Schoolboy lost consciousness after using snus

A 15-year-old schoolboy lost consciousness after using a sublingual nicotine stick (snus).

According to information from the boy's parents, the teenager placed a nicotine pouch under his tongue, and a few minutes later experienced a rapid heartbeat and lost consciousness, after which he was urgently hospitalized.

On the occasion of the incident, Director of the Pharmaceutical Service Elena Panayiotopoulou stated:

“These products are extremely dangerous. Young people, whose bodies are not yet fully developed, can accidentally receive an excessively high dose of nicotine, leading to serious consequences — fainting, confusion, tachycardia, and severe complications. Moreover, they are highly addictive.”

Following the public disclosure of the incident, the service received numerous complaints from concerned parents. Panayiotopoulou emphasized that the sale of these products is prohibited, and any distribution, including sales through kiosks or online, is a violation of the law.

Despite the ban on the distribution of snus introduced over a year ago, it is still being illegally sold at a number of kiosks across the island. Such products are most popular among children.