Danish high school helps students quit nicotine with no-nonsense approach

A Danish high school is supporting students struggling with nicotine addiction by offering discreet, judgment-free help—an approach that worked for Victor Lindell, who secretly used nicotine pouches in school bathrooms, DR reports.

Victor Lindell, a 20-year-old student at Rosborg Gymnasium in Vejle, started using nicotine pouches casually at boarding school. What began as an occasional habit quickly escalated into dependency, with withdrawal symptoms like sweating and cravings driving him to use more.

“I’d sneak a pouch when the teacher left the room or go to the bathroom,” Lindell said. Danish schools ban nicotine and smoking, forcing students to hide their use. At his peak, he consumed a full can of pouches daily.

Lindell isn’t alone. A recent report from the Institute of Public Health found that 160,000 Danes aged 15–29 use smokeless nicotine products like snus or pouches, with eight in ten reporting addiction. Yet few seek help, despite municipal quit-nicotine programs.

At Rosborg Gymnasium, teacher Tine Nyholm Laugesen—nicknamed “Niko-Tine” by students—offers a non-confrontational approach. “Yelling at them doesn’t help,” she said. While she estimates a third of students use nicotine, only 50–60 have sought her guidance in five years.

For Lindell, quitting took six years. Motivated by financial strain and dental warnings, he worked with Laugesen to gradually reduce his intake, tracking each pouch and cutting back weekly. “It’s not as easy as people say,” he admitted. He relapsed but eventually quit half a year ago, crediting the school’s accessible support.

A major research project is now studying how best to help young people quit nicotine, with results expected early next year.