The dwindling popularity of smoking in America is worth noticing, as the CDC reported in 2020 that nearly 13 out of every 100 adults smoked in the United States, compared to 21 out of every 100 adults 15 years ago. These figures represent a 20.9% decline in the smoking population and a significant reduction in the number of cigarettes used in the country within that period.
There is an established correlation between smoking and illnesses such as cancer, stroke, and chronic lung disease, causing many people to resort to alternatives to taper down their cigarette smoking habits. In a previous blog post, we presented vape products such as Juul pod systems as better alternatives to smoking tobacco. Today, we’ll discuss another viable smoking replacement: nicotine pouches.
Here are three reasons why people who are quitting smoking are opting for nicotine pouches:
They release nicotine slowly
Nicotine dependence makes quitting very difficult for smokers because of the addictive properties of the chemical. Nicotine pouches help in this aspect because while they contain the chemical, they do not include the other harmful chemicals that cause the previously mentioned diseases. A pouch containing 6 milligrams of nicotine may leave the same amount as one cigarette in your bloodstream. Over the roughly seven minutes it takes you to smoke a cigarette, your body typically absorbs 2mg of nicotine. On the other hand, you absorb around 30% of the nicotine in the one hour you use the pouch. So you can expect about 2mg of nicotine from that 6mg pouch. This slow and steady nicotine release helps keep you from lighting that next cigarette stick.
They do not contain tobacco
Nicotine pouches work by delivering nicotine between the lips and the gums without releasing any form of tobacco. Because of this, they will not cause bad breath or tooth staining, which are common problems with cigarette use. Swedish Match’s lineup of ZYN nicotine pouches has some of the leading tobacco-free smoking alternatives currently on the market. Through innovative distillation procedures, tobacco gets purified to produce nicotine, which the pouches use with varying strengths. ZYN’s dry pouches contain 3mg of nicotine, while their stronger variants contain 6mg. Nicotine pouches also provide a fresher sensation through cooling mint tastes, compared to tobacco’s heaviness. More importantly, the Food and Chemical Toxicology Journal found nicotine pouches such as ZYN have no tobacco-specific nitrosamines, the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco.
They are smoke-free
The mechanism of nicotine pouches makes for a convenient experience. The pouches release doses of nicotine through the gums without needing saliva to be activated. Once the pouches are held in place, their contents are immediately released. Conversely, cigarettes need to be lit up using a match or a lighter, which results in smoke formation. The American Lung Association warns that cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, at least 69 of which are linked to cancer. Cigarette smoke is directly responsible for developing a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
Because nicotine pouches are tobacco-free and smoke-free and release nicotine slowly, they rise above the dangers of cigarette smoking. Quitting smoking can be challenging, so these critical benefits of nicotine pouches make the transition to a cigarette-free lifestyle more convenient.