Until last Friday, no candidate in the history of Polish presidential debates had been seen consuming an intoxicating substance live during a discussion with a political rival.
That changed during a televised debate between Karol Nawrocki, the right-wing candidate backed by the opposition Law and Justice party (PiS), and pro-European Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, representing the ruling Civic Coalition (KO).
A moment when Nawrocki discreetly placed something under his upper lip went viral online, sparking a wave of memes and intense national debate.
Initially, Nawrocki denied the act, telling reporters after the debate that he was simply chewing nicotine gum.
However, under growing pressure, his campaign chief, Paweł Szefernaker, admitted the candidate had used "snus" - a moist tobacco product that is illegal in Poland but often confused with legal nicotine pouches, according to media reports.
Photo: TVP Info screen
What’s the difference between snus and nicotine pouches?
Nicotine pouches, sometimes called "white snus," are tobacco-free and deliver nicotine through small white sachets placed under the lip.
Traditional snus, by contrast, contains moist tobacco and is also placed under the lip or against the gum. Though banned in Poland, it remains widely used and legally sold in Sweden and Norway, where it is culturally accepted.
While tobacco-containing snus is illegal in Poland, nicotine pouches are legal and available to adults, both online and in physical stores.
Experts warn, however, that snus delivers significantly higher nicotine doses than traditional cigarettes, making it highly addictive.
Health minister slams Nawrocki for promoting illegal nicotine product on live TV
Poland’s Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna condemned Nawrocki’s behaviour on social media, saying that "snus has nothing to do with nicotine gum" and accusing the PiS candidate of "promoting a dangerous, highly addictive, and illegal product in front of millions of viewers, including minors."
Ustawa o ochronie zdrowia przed następstwami używania tytoniu i wyrobów tytoniowych zabrania produkcji i wprowadzania do...
Opublikowany przez Izabelę Leszczyną Sobota, 24 maja 2025
New video evidence exposes Nawrocki’s repeated nicotine use
On Monday, Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk shared further evidence suggesting Nawrocki had used snus multiple times during televised appearances.
"Karol Nawrocki, PiS’s presidential candidate, would do anything to make what I’m about to show you disappear from the internet. But since nothing ever disappears from the internet, take a look," Tomczyk wrote, sharing clips of the candidate apparently using nicotine during interviews and public events.
'Someone with serious addiction should never be president'
The footage appears to show Nawrocki - currently head of the state-run Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) - applying nicotine either orally or nasally during a far-right TV interview, the debate with Trzaskowski, and a sit-down with journalist Bogdan Rymanowski.
"This isn’t normal," Tomczyk said. "This issue is not just serious - it’s deeply troubling. One thing is certain: someone with a serious addiction should never be president of Poland."
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Source: Facebook.com/I.Leszczyna/X/@CTomczyk/TVP Info