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Marynak KL, Wang X, Borowiecki M, et al. Nicotine Pouch Unit Sales in the US, 2016-2020. JAMA. 2021;326(6):566-568. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2782874

This research letter of 10 August 2021 noted the huge increase of sales from 2016 when these products were introduced. Nicotine pouch sales increased from 163 178 units ($709 635) in 2016 to 45 965 455 units ($216 886 819) during the January to June 13, 2020, period (July 2016–June 2020 unit AMPC, 10.9 [95% CI, 10.4-11.4]. Mint flavors (including spearmint and wintergreen) were most commonly sold across the study period. However, during the January 2019–June 2020 period, unit sales of fruit-flavored nicotine pouches (AMPC, 19.2 [95% CI, 14.2-24.5]) increased more rapidly than mint (AMPC, 10.1 [95% CI, 8.5-11.8]) and other nonfruit or non-mint flavors (AMPC, 9.3 [95% CI, 8.1-10.4].” Figures 1 and 2 show details. Increased sales are alarming since:

“Nicotine is addictive and poses significant health risks for young people. Moreover, nicotine pouches’ flavors and marketing for discreet use mirror e-cigarette marketing tactics known to attract nicotine-naive young people. Given the expanding range of tobacco products, clinicians should ask patients about any tobacco product use, including nicotine pouches.”

Note: Alternative tobacco products result in the same addictions that damage users in youth and over a lifetime. Stephen Hamann

Stephen Hamann