A new product category known as 'energy sniffs' is emerging, offering powdered caffeine intended for nasal inhalation, which provides a rapid stimulant effect. Brands like the Austrian-based Wildkraut, which arrived in Britain late last year, sell these products online, marketed with aesthetics borrowed from illicit substances. A 1g bottle of Wildkraut, containing powdered caffeine mixed with alpine herbs and amino acids, costs £24.90 and is available in Classic and Menthol flavors. The company claims the product offers a faster-acting caffeine hit than traditional beverages.
Sean Price, chief operating officer of Wildkraut's British arm, explained the product's origin traces back to the plant masterwort, traditionally chewed by farmers in the Alps for fatigue. Wildkraut's founder developed the powder for rapid absorption through the nasal mucosa. The company now operates in ten countries, with Germany being its largest market.
Price acknowledged the visual similarities to cocaine but suggested that European consumers have a more nuanced view of nasal powders, citing the historical use of snuff. He stated that while the party scene is a secondary market, key demographics include lorry drivers, shift workers, students, bodybuilders, and gamers. Price described energy sniffs as an "emergency caffeine hit" rather than a daily substitute.
However, critics argue that the marketing of energy sniffs normalizes or even glamorizes cocaine and other illegal drugs by mimicking the act of snorting. Professor Harry Sumnall, an expert in substance use at Liverpool John Moores University, views these products not as a cause for concern in terms of glamorizing drugs, but as an indicator of how far the normalization of drug use has already progressed. He noted that American brands have been more explicit, sometimes including fake rolled-up banknotes with their products.
Beyond the social implications, health concerns are also being raised. Excessive caffeine intake can disrupt sleep, attention, and mood. The products exist in a regulatory gray area, not classified as food, medicine, or supplements, meaning the caffeine dosage is not officially scrutinized. Furthermore, any powder introduced nasally carries risks. A 2024 study in The Lancet suggested that repeated insufflation can damage the nasal lining over time, with research indicating that caffeine itself may cause this damage. Wildkraut disputes these findings, referencing a dermatological test, but long-term studies are lacking.
Experts suggest that while energy sniffs may become a common convenience for certain groups, they are unlikely to drive younger generations toward experimenting with cocaine. Instead, their rise reflects a broader societal familiarity with the culture surrounding drug use, where even legal products can borrow the visual language of illicit substances to gain traction.