Decades ago, youâd be limited to smoking if you wanted to enjoy nicotine. Fortunately, today there are loads more options, many of which offer substantial benefits over cigarettes, cigars and pipes. One such option is of course vaping, which while not perfect, has been proven beyond reasonable doubt to be safer than smoking (John Hopkins Medicine, for one, unequivocally states âvaping is less harmful than smokingâ). But now thereâs an even newer alternative for consuming nicotine: nicotine pouches.
Today nicotine pouches are a very new product, and definitely less popular than vaping (time will tell if they really can disrupt the industry in a big way). Nicotine pouches are inexpensive, light, and super-convenient to use; you just put one under your lip, chew slowly, and let the nicotine release itself. Not too unlike bubble gum.
The benefits of such a product are immediately obvious. Unlike smoking which harms others and smells up a room, with nicotine pouches, no-one else is affected in any way. You can take nicotine pouches literally anywhere: on the bus, on the train, in a restaurant or even at work. Most people probably wonât even notice, and theyâre therefore a very good substitute for smokers having trouble controlling their nicotine cravings throughout the day.
Beyond convenience (perhaps the main selling point of nicotine pouches), nicotine pouches are also far more enticing than smoking in that they come in a huge variety of flavours. There are nicotine pouches that taste like mango, blackcurrant, apple, strawberry, pear and even cola. You can also find them in a large variety of different strengths and nicotine levels. This means that no matter what person you are and how much nicotine you consume, youâll probably be able to find a nicotine pouch thatâs suitable for you. If youâre a heavy smoker, you can get pouches with a high nicotine content, while if youâre a light or non-smoker, you can start off with low-strength pouches. The range of flavours and strengths is hugely appealing compared to boring cigarettes which offer little variety.
Letâs go through the main questions Iâve heard about nicotine pouches.
Where can you buy nicotine pouches?
For those interested in trying nicotine pouches for the first time, there are a few places you can find them. Here on Vape Resources you can usually find Zyn (the main brand for nicotine pouches), Velo, Lyft and ZoneX, and more brands may come later. You can also sometimes find nicotine pouches in some gas stations, though the range and flavours may be limited.
Can nicotine pouches help you quit smoking?
There havenât been any proper controlled studies on this, so everything is anecdotal. However, browsing through the snus community on Reddit (/r/snus), there have been a good number of people who say starting nicotine pouches helped them to get off cigarettes. Thatâs not too surprising given the benefits nicotine pouches can offer. As a smoker, you can start off with a medium or high strength nicotine pouch (they come in different strengths as mentioned above) and then slowly decrease the strength until you no longer have cravings.
What do reputable organisations say about the health and safety of nicotine pouches?
I mentioned above that vaping is considered safer than smoking, and thatâs corroborated by numerous reputable organisations like John Hopkins Medicine. Unfortunately, as nicotine pouches are a new product and they havenât undergone serious trials yet, the verdict is inconclusive on the safety (or otherwise) of nicotine pouches. We donât know about the long term effects at this stage. While many thousands of people have used and enjoyed nicotine pouches and no adverse affects have been directly linked to nicotine pouches, Iâd definitely like to see proper trials for them and FDA approval (though thatâs probably a while down the line).
So⌠should you try nicotine pouches?
If youâve read up until now and youâre curious about nicotine pouches, I recommend dipping your toe in the water and trying a pack. Have a browse through the nicotine pouches offered on Vape Resources and pick a flavour that you think you might like. Packs typically include 20 pouches and are easily affordable (typically around 7 pounds), so you wonât lose too much if you donât love them.
