Although nicotine pouches are often promoted as a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes, experts caution that they are not entirely risk-free.
These pouches are intended for individuals who want to reduce their smoking habits or experience nicotine without the smoke’s odor.
To use them, one places the pouch under the upper lip, where it rests against the gum and releases nicotine before being removed later.
While they might assist some people in quitting smoking, there is concern that they could also introduce non-users to nicotine products and potentially cause unintended harm, according to experts.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Vaughan Rees notes that products like Zyn pouches can attract young users by appearing less risky than smoking, though they still present challenges.
Their impact on the body is concerning, and despite being marketed as healthier than cigarettes, they remain an unhealthy choice.
Rees stated, “Zyn presents significantly lower health risks than smoking, because it does not contain cancer-causing chemicals and other toxic substances found in cigarette smoke.”
“So Zyn may offer adult smokers who have not been able to quit smoking a way to reduce their exposure to the toxic chemicals that cause disease, including cancer.”
However, the addictive nature of these pouches could also elevate cardiovascular disease risk for non-smokers.
Dr. Donna Shelley, a professor and vice dean for research at the New York University School of Global Public Health, points out that the pouches are not entirely ‘safe’.
She explained, “Some of the negative health effects of the nicotine pouches include gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea, gum soreness and ulcers, and also some cardiovascular risks like elevated heart rate.”
She further stated, “We don’t know the full safety profile yet.”
Overall, the pouches can still pose significant health issues.
In general, nicotine use can lead to various health concerns:
As the pouches do not contain tobacco or cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes, they could inadvertently appeal to non-smokers.
Tory Spindle, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, noted, “Usually when you say that something is free of something, it makes it seem less harmful.”
He told NBC News: “Our concern is that, well, does that make them more appealing to someone that otherwise would have never tried any tobacco product?”
Spindle highlighted the challenge of making such products available to current users while not inadvertently hooking new individuals who never would have tried nicotine.
Rees advised, “Teens and young adults who do not smoke or vape should avoid this product.”
The popularity of products like Zyn has surged in recent years, with 131 million cans sold in the first quarter alone, an 80 percent increase from the previous year.
Philip Morris, the company that acquired Zyn, stated its commitment to developing scientifically substantiated products as better alternatives to smoking.
The company added that Zyn’s marketing targets legal-age nicotine users over 21.
For further comments, Philip Morris, the owner of Zyn, was contacted.