Are Nicotine Pouches Legal in Bahrain? (Yes, 18+, Under a 2025 Standard)

By PouchGuide Editorial Team · Published October 26, 2026

Yes, nicotine pouches are legal in Bahrain for adults 18 and over. Bahrain is one of the few countries with a technical regulation written specifically for nicotine pouches. Resolution No. 54 of 2025 of the Minister of Industry and Commerce put the national technical regulation for nicotine pouch products (BH 6:2025) into force. It also bans selling or giving pouches to anyone under 18. Importers need a conformity certificate from the Ministry of Health before pouches can enter the market.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check official sources before you buy or travel.

What does Resolution No. 54 of 2025 say?

The resolution was signed on July 30, 2025 and published in the Official Gazette (No. 3824) on July 31, 2025. It has four short articles:

• Article 1: the national technical regulation for nicotine pouch products applies.
• Article 2: the Ministry of Health is authorized to monitor how the regulation is applied, for one year from the date the resolution takes effect.
• Article 3: “The sale of nicotine pouch products, or providing them free of charge, to persons under the age of eighteen is prohibited.”
• Article 4: the resolution takes effect six months after its publication in the Official Gazette, so from the end of January 2026.

The regulation itself, BH 6:2025, was approved by the national standards committee on June 29, 2025. It is a 15-page Arabic document sold by Bahrain’s standards directorate, and its full text isn’t publicly available.

Is there a product standard for nicotine pouches?

Yes. Before the 2025 regulation, Resolution No. 105 of 2024 adopted the British standard PAS 8877:2022, “Tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches: composition, manufacture and testing”, as a Bahraini national standard. It covers ingredient quality, manufacturing and testing. The 2025 resolution cites it as part of its legal basis.

What do importers need?

The Ministry of Health runs a conformity service called “Nicotine Pouch Conformity According to the Bahraini Technical Regulation BH 6:2025”. For nicotine pouches, its list of required documents includes:

• proof that the nicotine is tobacco-free and of pharmaceutical grade under the European or US Pharmacopoeia
• a full ingredient list by weight, with the reason for each ingredient
• a recent test certificate from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory covering all analyses in the regulation
• data on nicotine dose and absorption, and a description of the production process
• a valid shelf life shown on the label

The ministry says all documents and labeling must comply with GSO (Gulf standards) rules. A separate ministry service checks package labels and health warnings before new tobacco and nicotine products are imported.

Can you buy nicotine pouches online in Bahrain?

We didn’t find a specific ban on online sales in the published resolutions. The under-18 ban applies to every sale, so any seller must make sure buyers are adults. Products sold in Bahrain also have to meet BH 6:2025.

Can travelers bring nicotine pouches to Bahrain?

The published rules are aimed at importers and sellers, and we didn’t find a specific limit for personal amounts. Bringing a reasonable amount for your own use is unlikely to be a problem, but customs can still check tobacco and nicotine products. If you’re 18 or older, you can also buy compliant pouches locally. See our travel guide.

How Bahrain compares

Bahrain’s approach is close to the United Arab Emirates, which also allows pouches if they meet a national standard. Its Gulf neighbor Kuwait is going the other way and will ban pouches not registered as a medicine from January 2027. In Europe, Switzerland also allows pouches for adults 18 and over.

Bottom line

Nicotine pouches are legal in Bahrain for adults 18 and over. Since early 2026, they must meet the national technical regulation BH 6:2025, which builds on the British standard PAS 8877:2022, and importers need a Ministry of Health conformity certificate. See our legal status overview for other countries.