Smokers Turning To Nicotine Pouches To Help Them Quit, Study Suggests

Key TakeawaysPeople might be using nicotine pouches to help quit smokingFormer and current smokers were more likely to use the pouchesUse was virtually non-existent among people who’d never used a tobacco product.MONDAY, Sept. 15, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Nicotine pouches might be helping tobacco users quit smoking and vaping, a new study says.The pouches — sold under brand names like Velo and Zyn — can’t be marketed as smoking cessation aids like nicotine patches, gums or lozenges, researchers said.But it appears that some are using the pouches to get their nicotine fix without resorting to smoking, researchers recently reported in JAMA Network Open.People were nearly four times more likely to use nicotine pouches daily if they’d recently quit smoking, researchers found.“Our results suggest that adults may be using nicotine pouches for harm reduction given that use is highest among those that have recently quit another tobacco product or e-cigarettes,” lead researcher Cristine Delnevo said in a news release. She’s director of the Rutgers University Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies in New Brunswick, N.J.Nicotine pouches contain a powder made of nicotine, flavorings and other ingredients, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People typically place the pouches between their lip and gum, where the nicotine is absorbed.For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 110,000 Americans surveyed by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2022 and 2023 about their tobacco use.Few had ever used nicotine pouches, with about 2.6% saying they’d given them a try.Use among people who’d never tried any tobacco product was virtually non-existent.Instead, people who use the pouches tend to be smokers, vapers or smokeless tobacco users. Researchers found:Occasional smokers were 2.4 times more likely to use the pouches.Occasional vapers were 3.9 times more likely.People who’d quit smoking were 3.9 times more likely.Smokeless tobacco users were more than 10 times as likely.These numbers suggest that nicotine pouches may be playing a role in some smokers’ attempts to quit, the researchers said.“As nicotine pouches gain increased attention in the U.S., many agree that we need to better understand who is using these products and how,” researcher Mary Hrywna, an associate professor at Rutgers School of Public Health, said in a news release.“This study offers a snapshot of use patterns that is informative and, at least for now, somewhat reassuring,” she said.The findings landed at the same time as news of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to fast-track review of four tobacco companies’ nicotine pouches, according to Reuters. The FDA is expected to announce the pilot program Monday.In January, the FDA handed out its first-ever authorization for a nicotine pouch to Zyn, a product made by a Swedish company. At this time, Zyn remains the only nicotine pouch with FDA approval.Delnevo noted that nicotine is highly addictive and can impact heart health, so the jury is still out on the safety of the pouches. However, nicotine itself has not been linked to cancer, as has smoking.“People who have never used tobacco products should not suddenly be using nicotine pouches,” Delnevo said. “But for people who smoke or use other nicotine products and don’t want to stop using nicotine, switching completely from the more harmful product and moving down the risk continuum with nicotine pouches is a likely good for public health.”More informationThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about nicotine pouches.SOURCE: Rutgers University, news release, Sept. 8, 2025.What This Means For YouSmokers should talk to their doctor about medications and products that can help them quit..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter