Public Health Hazards of Nicotine Pouches
Nicotine pouches are an emerging nicotine product category that has been developed and marketed quickly with little research or regulatory oversight. They have been promoted by Big Tobacco as a replacement for smoking and vaping, but they are also being used in addition to those products. They are easily concealed and come in a variety of flavors that appeal to youth. Their popularity has led to increased use by young people, and they are being endorsed by adults in demanding industries such as finance and technology.Resource: https://heysnus.com/fr/collections/nicotine-pouches
Although the pouches do not contain tobacco, they can still produce harmful chemicals when burned, including nitrosamines that damage DNA and cause cancer. Moreover, the small pouch size makes them difficult to detect and easy for children to swallow. They can even pose a threat to small babies and toddlers if they are swallowed or inhaled while crawling or playing. To help parents understand the dangers of these pouches, the Bath TCRG is developing a toolkit that will include information on how to identify them and tips for safe storage.
Nicotine Pouches and Lifestyle: Incorporating Them Into Your Routine
We need to study the effectiveness of pouches as cessation aids, and whether their marketing and availability undermines individual level and population level efforts to quit more risky forms of nicotine or tobacco. We need to understand how they are being used, including by youth, and how they differ from other nicotine or tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes and snus. And we need to examine their abuse liability, including potential for accidental ingestion by small children and toxicity (including the onset of periodontal disease). We will present possible research areas that could form a blueprint for a comprehensive assessment of this new product category so that policymakers can maximize its public health potential while minimizing unintended harms.