Nicotine pouches have similar risks as NRTs – just 2%

Drug and Chemical Toxicology

Azzopardi, D et al., Chemical characterization of tobacco-free “modern” oral nicotine pouches and their position on the toxicant and risk continuums, Drug and Chemical Toxicology (2021).

• This study compared the toxicity levels of tobacco-free nicotine pouches with snus and nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs). The research showed that nicotine pouches have a similar risk profile to NRTs and should be placed between snus and NRTs on the risk continuum.
• Snus has 5% of the risk of traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes have 4% and NRTs have around 2% of the risk.
• The research concludes that nicotine pouches may provide lower exposure to toxins than snus, and have the potential to be effective for consumers who find NRTs ineffective.
• The FDA stated that the “available evidence does not demonstrate significant youth initiation of these products.”
• Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) have long been considered safer alternatives to smoking, but the relatively slow and low intake of nicotine through these products when compared to cigarettes can limit their potential to satisfy users’ cravings.

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