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Energy Sniff: Sniffy powder – legal, but for how long?
This product has been a massive hit since it first appeared in French tobacconists and CBD shops: Sniffy powder continues to be the talk of the town.
Available as a white powder to be inhaled through a straw, Energy Sniff is designed to resemble cocaine to some extent. This appearance poses a problem for the authorities, who are not particularly keen on allowing this new substance to remain on sale in France.
Indeed, France has submitted a decree to the European Union seeking a ban on Sniffy. A ban covering "products sold in powder form intended for intranasal consumption".
Of course, the text submitted to the European authorities does not explicitly mention Sniffy, but there is no doubt that this product is clearly the target of this request to the EU. Appearing on the radio a few weeks ago, the Minister of State for Health, Frédéric Valletoux, did not hesitate to pull out all the stops and describe this product as rubbish.
A decree clearly aimed at banning Energy Sniff
Sold in tobacconists, Energy Sniff is therefore the subject of a request for withdrawal and recall by the French government: "The health authorities have deemed that these products pose a serious and immediate danger, justifying the urgent suspension of their marketing and the issuance of warnings to consumers", as stated in the decree forwarded to the EU.
Although Energy Sniff is composed of creatine, L-citrulline, taurine, maltodextrin, L-arginine, beta-alanine, taurine and caffeine, it is not considered addictive in itself. The real problem for the authorities lies in the fact that Sniffy is seen as a gateway to narcotic substances due to "its striking resemblance to cocaine", according to the president of the Addictions France association.
What is certain is that the decree submitted to the European Union is justified on the grounds that “the intranasal administration of these powders presents a proven risk, in the event of repeated use, of damaging the nasal passages with associated harmful effects such as bleeding, congestion, sinus infections, and even a ruptured septum”.
As this decree does not apply to "medicines, medical devices and tobacco products", there is no doubt that Energy Sniff is clearly in the authorities’ sights.
