Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable demise worldwide, accounting for more than 8 million deaths each year globally, according to the World Health Organization. Diseases like lung cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular complications are some of the most common illnesses caused by cigarettes, prompting many smokers to quit. However, research published in JAMA states that smoking cessation success rates are low. In the United States alone, where approximately 30% to 50% of smokers attempt to quit in any given year, only 7.5% manage to succeed.
Many techniques can aid you in achieving smoking cessation success, from quitting cold turkey to pharmacotherapy. You just have to find what works for your body. One viable option is smokeless alternatives like nicotine pouches – the small, discreet sacs placed between the cheek and gum. Below, we take a look at the rising popularity of nicotine pouches, some popular brands, and how they can help in smoking cessation.
Market growth
The nicotine pouch market has steadily been on the rise. These pouches entered the US market in 2016 and have since enjoyed a considerable boom in sales. A Grand View Research report mentions that the market size of nicotine pouches was valued at $1.99 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow until 2030.
According to the National Institutes of Health, pouches appeal to smokers because they are cost-effective compared with a pack of cigarettes and can be used discreetly anywhere. These pouches can also be purchased online, and this increasing availability allows a broader range of consumers to access the products, further driving market growth. The rising demand for nicotine pouches can also be attributed to the need for people to find alternatives that can reduce the risks of harmful cigarettes, especially since these pouches are tobacco-free.
Some popular brands
There are various brands of nicotine pouches that you can try. Major manufacturers like British American Tobacco and Swedish Match have begun releasing their own nicotine pouch lines in order to tap into the growing market, with many of these products making use of unique flavors and packaging to appeal to consumers. On! pouches, manufactured by Altria’s subsidiary Helix Innovations, offer many flavors like cinnamon, coffee, and citrus with nicotine strengths ranging from 2mg to 8mg. These pouches have a mini-dry, ultra-compact format that makes them invisible under the lip to prevent excessive drip, and it’s also safe to swallow the fluid they generate because they’re 100% tobacco-free.
ZYN also offers pouches in flavors like cool mint, spearmint, and wintergreen in 3mg or 6mg nicotine strengths produced through high-tech distillation processes. You can also try LUCY products, including their gum and pouch products. LUCY pouches offer a moist mouthfeel for comfortable use of their cinnamon or mango-flavored pouches that come in 4mg, 8mg, and 12mg nicotine strengths. A behavioral study published by LUCY also mentions how their products appeal to smokers who wish to quit, allowing them to try alternatives to harmful cigarettes.
Role in smoking cessation
Our previous write-up titled cited how nicotine, specifically in smokeless alternatives, can help smokers lower their urges to pick up a cigarette. Pouches can aid quitting success because they contain varying nicotine strengths that can help you gradually lower nicotine consumption over time until you’re ready to quit entirely. These pouches are also tobacco-free, so tobacco dependence is significantly reduced. Nicotine pouches can help you manage withdrawal symptoms like intense cravings for cigarettes, allowing you to curb the bad habit of smoking while providing your body with controlled doses of nicotine.
Smoking cessation is a step in the right direction in achieving an overall healthy lifestyle. It’s important to find the right technique that suits your body to achieve quitting success, so be sure to check out nicotine pouches to help you kick the habit.
