The pouches named ‘snus’ are put under the lip and against the cheek, which swiftly delivers nicotine to the bloodstream after the substance is absorbed by the mucous membrane lining the inside of the mouth.

The Swedish tobacco product gained popularity among teenagers for its small size packaging and its lack of smoke and tobacco smell, which makes it easier to hide from parents and guardians.

Doctors have now warned that the product, which is easy to buy online, contains high levels of nicotine, some as much as 50 milligrams of nicotine per pouch – a dose of which could lead to nicotine poisoning in a child.

Miłosz Przybyszowski, a pediatrician at the University Children’s Hospital in Krakow told the private Polsat News broadcaster that nicotine ingested in any fashion is not only a highly addictive substance but one that can also be ingested in toxic levels, particularly when snus is involved.

He said: “The toxic dose is just several milligrams, and the dose in snus is not strictly controlled.”

He added that ingesting a dose of nicotine that exceeds safe levels may lead to “a rapid drop of arterial blood pressure, neurological disorders, vertigo, hyperactivity, excessive sweating and can even lead to loss of consciousness.”

Aware of the potentially dangerous fad’s recent spread, more and more schools have appealed to parents to talk to their children about the potential dangers posed by snus and to keep an eye on what their offspring are buying online.