Dodging nicotine in the nick of time
More than 1 billion nicotine pouches were sold in the U.S. in 2024. While you might assume they were mostly being used by folks who are trying to quit smoking or vaping tobacco, you'd be wrong.
A study published in JAMA analyzed nicotine pouch use in 39,557 U.S. adults and the majority of folks using pouches also smoke cigarettes -- and only around 3% of the non-smoking population has ever used a nicotine pouch.
Sounds like smokers are stoking up their addiction by slipping these packages of sweet-flavored, powdered nicotine between their lips and gums. And even though pouches do not contain tobacco, they usually pack excess nicotine that causes serious health consequences - interfering with adolescent and young adult brain development and healthy pregnancies and increasing the risk of addiction to other drugs and cigarettes -- along with harmful additives.
One study in BMC Chemistry found that a leading pouch brand contained low levels of ammonia, chromium, formaldehyde and nickel. No levels of those are what you want added to your body! And that doesn't mention the damage pouches can do to your cardiovascular system and gums.
Becoming nicotine-free is essential. Your best bet is to use the sustained-released anti-depressant bupropion to reduce withdrawal symptoms. (If you do use patches, you can use them with this drug.) Around an hour a day of walking or aerobics also works -- decreasing withdrawal symptoms during exercise and for up to 50 minutes afterward. For more help overcoming this addiction, visit smokefree.gov and enjoy my audiobook, "This Is Your Do-Over."
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at drmikerealage@gmail.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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