Nicotine pouches are a new product category rapidly appearing on the market and are marketed as alternatives to cigarettes or chewing tobacco. They do not contain tobacco but are instead manufactured from plant fibres and nicotine, supplemented with flavourings and other ingredients. They are held between the lip and gum to release nicotine that is absorbed through the oral mucosa and into the blood stream. These products are similar to pouched snus but do not use tobacco and therefore are regulated less tightly than other tobacco-based nicotine products such as chewing tobacco or e-cigarettes. They are therefore an attractive product for the tobacco industry as they can be used in public places where smoking is prohibited such as at work or on airplanes.
Although their use is rapidly increasing, little research has been done to understand the harms and benefits of these products. In addition, they are unregulated in many regions and countries. They are likely to challenge existing tobacco control policies and may lead to a new generation of nicotine and/or tobacco users.
essential tobacco pouches are marketed in a variety of fruit flavours and can be concealed easily in the hand or mouth, making them appealing to youth and young adult non-smokers. The rapid uptake of e-cigarettes among these groups has been linked to a gateway effect and it is possible that nicotine pouches will also promote the uptake of more risky tobacco products, particularly when used alongside those products.
The emergence of nicotine pouches has coincided with a decline in cigarette sales and a rise in non-smoking tobacco use, including chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes. These trends have led some to worry that they could become the next big thing in the tobacco industry’s portfolio of enticing products for new smokers and deter current smokers from quitting using risk-reducing tools.
These concerns are based on the fact that the main ingredient in nicotine pouches is nicotine, which is also an addictive drug. Further, the chemicals in e-cigarettes that are released during burning have been shown to be toxic and cause serious diseases including cancer. It is therefore not surprising that health organisations have warned about the potential dangers of these new products.
In the US, a controversy has been caused by Senator Chuck Schumer who has called for an investigation into the popular brand of nicotine pouches Zyn. He accused the maker of the product of marketing to children and he urged the Food and Drug Administration to review its policies on the product.
There is a need for comprehensive and rigorous research on the harms and benefits of these products, especially their addiction potential. More importantly, the tobacco industry needs to be prevented from promoting these products to youth through their advertising and lifestyle promotion activities. It is also important to establish whether these products are being used situationally and can be a gateway to combustible cigarettes or if they are helping some smokers to quit using more harmful tobacco products.