'Nicotine-alternative' prohibited due to risk of dependence

The substance, called 6-methylnicotine, has been reported to be present in several e-cigarette liquids sold in Australia marketed as ‘nicotine-free’ or a ‘nicotine-alternative’.

The substance has also been found in oral pouches.

As of October 1, the substance will be a prohibited substance under Schedule 9 of the Poisons Standard. In making its decision the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) cited its acute toxicity, risks of use in unapproved consumer products such as vaping liquids and oral pouches, and its risk of dependence.

The regulator said stronger regulatory controls were warranted to manage the significant public health risks posed by 6-methylnicotine and to urgently prevent the growing spread of misleading claims, including that it is a nicotine-free alternative.

The decision goes further than the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s proposal to classify the substance as a Schedule 7 dangerous poison.

The TGA decided that classifying 6-methylnicotine as a dangerous poison did not provide sufficient regulatory controls.

“Classification as a prohibited substance (Schedule 9) offers a stronger legal framework, enabling more effective enforcement through higher penalties for unlawful supply and possession under the Commonwealth and jurisdictional drug laws and can help address the serious health risks from 6-methylnicotine,” the TGA said in its decision.

“6-methylnicotine is a high-risk substance with no therapeutic value and currently there are no lawful products in Australia that would be affected by this decision. Therefore, I have decided to immediately implement my decision to classify 6-methylnicotine as a prohibited substance.”

The popularity of vaping and nicotine pouches has increased in Australia over recent years, causing concern for public health experts.

The National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) 2025 found while less people are smoking on a daily basis, the use of other products had increased.

It found more than 8% of those aged 18-24 years of age said they were using nicotine pouches and almost 4% had used snus, both are smokeless oral tobacco pouches.

In WA the rise of vaping, and the delayed legislative response to that rise, saw the state downgraded from its once enviable reputation on combating smoking.

The latest National Tobacco Scorecard by the lobby group Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) gave WA a grade of ‘D’ – second only to the Northern Territory as the worst performer.

There has been a significant increase in people who use vapes, particularly among teenagers and young adults. One in seven WA school students aged 12 to 17 have tried vaping.