Are Nicotine Pouches Legal in Oman? (Gray Area: Smokeless Tobacco Banned)

By PouchGuide Editorial Team · Published October 27, 2026

It’s a gray area, and we’d treat it as risky. Oman’s Public Authority for Consumer Protection banned the circulation of chewing (smokeless) tobacco “in any form and under any name” in Decision No. 256/2015. That means snus and other pouches containing tobacco are banned. But no law specifically covers tobacco-free nicotine pouches. A national health survey report published in 2026 says so directly, and we found no official ruling either way.

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

What does Oman’s smokeless tobacco ban say?

Decision No. 256/2015 was issued on April 23, 2015 and published in the Official Gazette (No. 1098) on April 26, 2015. Article 1 says, in our translation:

“The circulation of chewing (smokeless) tobacco is prohibited in any form and under any name.”

Article 2 sets an administrative fine of OMR 400 for breaking the decision, doubled for a repeat offense. If the violation continues, a further OMR 50 per day applies, up to a total of OMR 2,000. These fines come on top of any criminal penalties under the Consumer Protection Law.

An earlier Ministerial Decree No. 38/2010 already banned importing and selling chewing (smokeless) tobacco. Oman also bans the import and sale of e-cigarettes and electronic hookahs, under decisions issued in 2015, according to the Tobacco Control Laws summary of Omani legislation.

Are tobacco-free nicotine pouches covered?

The law doesn’t say. Modern nicotine pouches contain nicotine but no tobacco leaf, so they don’t clearly fit the words “chewing tobacco”. On the other hand, the ban applies “in any form and under any name”, and inspectors could see pouches as a form of smokeless tobacco.

Oman’s 2025 National Survey on Non-Communicable Diseases, as reported in February 2026, states that “nicotine sachets are not regulated by any specific legislation”. It also notes there is no data on how many people in Oman use oral products such as nicotine sachets and snus. The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction tracker likewise found no sources indicating specific laws on pouches in Oman.

Can you buy nicotine pouches online in Oman?

We wouldn’t count on it. No law addresses pouches or online sales directly. Orders shipped from abroad go through customs, which decides whether a product counts as banned smokeless tobacco.

Can travelers bring nicotine pouches to Oman?

Never bring snus or any pouch that contains tobacco. It’s clearly banned under Decision No. 256/2015. For tobacco-free pouches, there’s no clear rule, so customs may confiscate them. The safest option is not to bring them. If you do, carry only a small amount in the original packaging that shows it’s tobacco-free. See our travel guide.

How Oman compares

Oman’s position is closest to Qatar, which also bans oral tobacco but says nothing about tobacco-free pouches. Other Gulf states have drawn clearer lines. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain allow tobacco-free pouches that meet a national standard. Kuwait will ban pouches not registered as a medicine from January 2027.

Bottom line

In Oman, pouches containing tobacco are banned under Decision No. 256/2015, with fines from OMR 400. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are a gray area: no law names them, and we found no official ruling. Be careful, and don’t count on customs letting them through. See our legal status overview for other countries.