In recent years, many companies from Big Tobacco started pivoting toward safer alternatives, all in the hope of undoing the damage that decades of cigarette smoking have done. One such product is the increasingly popular nicotine pouch, which has become a go-to for smokers and former smokers trying to kick the habit. These are dissolvable microfiber pouches containing nicotine salt powder sans the tobacco leaf. Many compare nicotine pouches to snus and moist snuff, although the latter are typically classified as tobacco products.

A JAMA Network study on the nicotine pouch market found that sales increased from 126.06 million units in 2019 to 808.14 million in 2022. Brands like ZYN and Rogue are especially dominant in the space, making headlines and even coining a new term — “Zynfluencers” — for content creators who stand by the pouches and their benefits.

With these pouches becoming so popular, an important question arises: Are they even safe? In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what’s really in these nicotine pouches and why they remain popular among smokers and ex-smokers:

What’s in these pouches?

One of the advantages often highlighted in nicotine pouches is that it doesn’t contain the harmful ingredients associated with traditional cigarettes, such as tobacco and tar. Some of the common ingredients of cigarettes include arsenic-containing pesticides, ammonia, acetone, and methanol, all of which work together to damage your body and its crucial organs.

On the other hand, nicotine pouch ingredients typically consist of substances that control the flavour, strength, and intensity of the experience. This includes nicotine — synthetic or tobacco-derived, depending on the brand — and flavourings and sweeteners. Most pouches also use plant-based materials, pH adjusters, and contain water. For reference, a pH adjuster like Sodium Bicarbonate is required to help nicotine pass into your body without becoming too intense or irritating in your mouth.

Still, as noted above, some nicotine pouch brands may be considered tobacco products due to using tobacco-derived nicotine (instead of synthetic-grade). Pouches that use tobacco-derived nicotine usually taste more bitter and, well, tobacco-like. If you’re looking to stay completely free of tobacco, it’s always best to check the ingredient details of your preferred nicotine pouch brand.

While researchers note that further studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of using nicotine pouches, they also emphasise that nicotine pouches are significantly safer and less toxic than tobacco products like cigarettes and snus.

Are nicotine pouches regulated?

Currently, the United States is the largest nicotine pouch market, followed by Sweden, a country popular for its nicotine pouch lookalikes, such as the Swedish snus. Other countries where nicotine pouches have increased in popularity and sales include Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom.

As mentioned, some nicotine pouches still fit under the tobacco umbrella. As such, countries that have tobacco-related regulations may prohibit or even ban the sale of nicotine pouches. According to a study on nicotine pouch sales trends, even countries where nicotine pouches aren’t being sold have policies in place. Some countries, like Australia, Brunei, Darussalam, Iran, Mauritius, and New Zealand, have completely banned the sale of nicotine pouches.

Other countries have more specific regulations when it comes to these pouches. Germany, for example, regulates nicotine pouches as a food product, and some specific pouch brands may be considered a health hazard as a result.

So, why are the pouches so popular?

Ultimately, despite still lacking research and being faced with regulations and potential bans in various countries, nicotine pouches are considered a good substitute for cigarettes and other variants, like vapes and e-cigarettes, due to being smoke- and tobacco-free.

In a previous post, we highlighted some of the reasons you should quit smoking, ranging from the likelihood of health conditions like lung, throat, mouth, and oesophagus cancer to autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s. At this point, we’re all well aware of the dangers of cigarette smoking, and this may very well be the primary reason for the rapid popularity of nicotine pouches.