Nicotine Pouch Use Leading to a New Generation of Addicts: Study

New findings suggest that the use of nicotine pouches, like Zyn and on!, could be increasing among high school students.

Researchers fear that nicotine pouch use could be creating the next generation of nicotine addicts, even as fewer teens are vaping and using e-cigarettes.

The findings were published in JAMA Network Open on May 12, showing that older adolescent and young adult males, in addition to current and former users of other nicotine products, are the most likely groups to use nicotine pouches.

Nicotine Pouch Concerns

Nicotine pouches are smokeless, tobacco-free products designed to deliver nicotine through the lining of the mouth. Users place the pouch between their upper lip and gum, where the substance is absorbed without the need for inhalation or combustion. Although they contain no tobacco leaf, they still deliver a potent dose of nicotine, raising concerns about their potential for dependence.

In recent years, these products have gained popularity among teenagers and young adults, sparking growing concern among public health experts about their addictive potential and the way they are marketed to younger demographics. Critics argue that the appeal of flavored varieties and sleek packaging may be contributing to increased youth experimentation.

These concerns echo the controversy surrounding JUUL and other e-cigarettes in the past decade, when vaping devices became the most common form of nicotine use among teens. That trend was linked to a surge in youth nicotine addiction and associated health risks, including elevated rates of cardiovascular problems and other long-term consequences.

Nicotine Pouch Trends

In the new study, a team of researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina, looked at the prevalence of nicotine pouch use among American youths and adults.

The team, led by Amanda M. Palmer, used data on individuals over the age of 12 from the publicly available Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health wave 7 survey, which was collected between January 2022 and April 2023.

The survey sample was composed of 10,632 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, as well as 29,754 adults aged 18 and older. The researchers were particularly interested in past 12 months use as well as past 30 days use of nicotine pouches.

The findings showed that 0.85% of adolescents had used nicotine pouches at some point in the past, while 3.34% of adults had done so. In addition, 0.60% of adolescents had used nicotine over the past year, while 1.58% of adults had. Over the past 30 days, 0.21% of adolescents had used nicotine pouches, and 0.82% of adults had used them.

Older adolescents were found to have a higher chance of having used nicotine pouches during any of the three reporting periods, and young adults had a higher pouch use percentage than adults over the age of 65.

In addition, males were more likely to use nicotine pouches than females, and current or former users of other nicotine products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, had higher odds of use as well.

Perhaps of most concern, the researchers also reported that a more recent study than the one they used, the National Youth Tobacco Study, reported that 2.4% of high school students had used nicotine pouches over the past 30 days. This was a higher percentage than what Palmer’s team found, leading the researchers to conclude that high school nicotine pouch use may be increasing.

Nicotine Pouch Lawsuits

Earlier this month, the city of Baltimore filed a Zyn nicotine pouch lawsuit, alleging that nicotine pouch marketing strategies, which Baltimore officials claim are aimed at young people, mirror those which contributed to the JUUL vaping crisis.

Baltimore’s legal action is one of several Zyn lawsuits emerging nationwide, as consumers across the U.S. are now filing lawsuits claiming they became addicted to Zyn as teenagers due to misleading marketing and a lack of adequate warnings about health risks. These complaints point to flavored products, youth-oriented packaging, and social media promotions as deliberate efforts to target minors.

Plaintiffs allege that Zyn’s nicotine content, though tobacco-free in appearance, is highly addictive and linked to serious health issues, including anxiety, cardiovascular problems and long-term dependence.