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Nicotine Pouch – FAQ’s
- What is a Nicotine Pouch?
It is a fantastic alternative to both smoking and vaping. It is a small pouch which you place under your lips, that contains nicotine and food grade flavourings. While placed under your lips the nicotine and flavouring are released into your bloodstream addressing any withdrawal symptoms you may have as a smoker and/or vaper.
- What are the benefits of nicotine pouches?
Nicotine Pouches have many benefits when compared to smoking and vaping, including:
- Nicotine pouches do not contain the numerous deadly chemicals known to be inhaled into your lungs when you smoke a combustible cigarette.
- In fact, you are not inhaling anything into your lungs, thereby also shielding you from possible long-term dangers that may be associated with vaping.
- Nicotine Pouches do not contain any tobacco at all.
- Nicotine pouches do not discolour your teeth and clothing.
- Nicotine pouches do not emit odours, smoke or vapor into the environment around you, making them easy to use in any situation and any location.
- Nicotine pouches allow you to avoid all the ‘pain points’ associated with vaping: no pods / tanks to refill, no battery charging, no liquid spilling or leaking.
- Nicotine pouches are very in-expensive when compared to cigarettes. Also, they do not require any up-front or ongoing investments into hardware as is the case with vaping.
- Nicotine pouches come in a variety of nicotine strengths allowing you to regulate your nicotine intake in line with your needs as you progress through your quitting journey.
- Nicotine pouches come in a variety of flavours, providing you with variety – something that has proven to increase success as you work to quit.
- Nicotine pouches are discreet, your use of them is essentially invisible when compared to other cessation products (gum, vaping, sprays).
- What are the pouches made of?
The material used for the pouches themselves are typically natural cellulose fibres, very similar to the ‘paper’ material that many leading tea bag brands are made of.
- What is inside the pouches?
The pouches contain a large number of very small granules, typically made from cellulose. These granules absorb the nicotine and flavourings and combined make up the contents of the nicotine pouch. The granules ‘hold onto’ the nicotine and flavourings until the liquids from your mouth activate them for release them into your body.
- Which nicotine level is right for me?
This question is highly personal and will vary from person to person. We recommend that you start with the lowest available level of nicotine and ‘calibrate’ towards your own personal needs by trying out different nicotine levels.
- Which flavours should I choose?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Whichever flavours you like! What we’ve learnt from our own quitting journey is that always having a variety of flavours available is helpful towards quitting smoking / vaping for good. Switching between flavours allowed us to always get enjoyment from our pouches, keeping our minds off cigarettes and vaping.
- Does Nicotine cause cancer?
Nicotine is addictive and the primary reason that it is so difficult for smokers to quit. It is a drug, and no drug can be completely safe – particularly if taken continuously and in very high doses. However, most medical experts and research points to cigarette smoke (tar), not nicotine, as being the primary contributor to cancer among smokers.
- What is Nicotine?
Nicotine is an alkaloid found in tobacco plants, where it is believed to act as a natural insect repellent, shielding the tobacco plants from insects and animals that may otherwise eat it. Nicotine is also present in tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, green pepper and the coca plant – most likely for similar reasons.
When consumed by a human being nicotine acts as a stimulant which – among other things - causes our brain to release higher levels of Dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) that when released gives us increased feelings of pleasure, reward, motivation and attention. It is these feelings of ‘well-being’ that contribute to making nicotine highly addictive.
- Are nicotine pouches legal in the UK?
Yes, absolutely. In addition to a number of leading scandinavian companies, most major tobacco companies make and sell nicotine pouches in the UK. Nicotine pouches are not currently regulated as tobacco products. Instead they have to comply with The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (turn into a link where you can go and see this), which have most recently been updated as of January, 2021.
- Can nicotine pouches help me quit smoking?
Yes. The vast majority of serious research into smoking cessation programmes and nicotine based quitting products find that the use of nicotine in a controlled manner is critical to successfully quitting smoking. Hence the many products now available in the market (gums, sprays, vaping devices, plasters, etc.). While the success rates of these products vary widely, we have every reason to believe that nicotine pouches can achieve very high rates of success - particularly given their benefits over vaping (see question X).
- How do you use a nicotine pouch?
You place the pouch between your gums and your lips inside your mouth. Some prefer the upper lip, others the lower. See what works best for you. Once the pouch is in place, the saliva in your mouth will activate the nicotine and flavours and release them into your bloodstream through your gums and lips. The nicotine and flavours are designed to be released evenly over 40-60 minutes, after which you discard the pouch.
- Is nicotine harmful to the body?
Nicotine is addictive and the primary reason that it is so difficult for smokers to quit. It is a drug, and no drug can be completely safe – particularly if taken continuously in very high doses.
The halftime of nicotine is only 2 hours - meaning that after 2 hours 50% of the nicotine you have ingested has left your body (as a comparison the half time of caffeine is up to 5 hours). This half time means that after 8 hours (one night’s sleep for instance) only 6.25% of ingested nicotine remains in your body. After 24 hours only 0.02% - or in practical terms nothing - of your last ingested nicotine will remain in your body.
The relatively short halftime of nicotine may help explain why a smoker experiences withdrawal symptoms (a desire for another cigarette) an hour or two after their last cigarette.
- Are nicotine pouches healthier than smoking?
There is ample evidence that nicotine pouches and snus are a better alternative to smoking. Along with snus, nicotine pouches originate from Sweden. In Sweden these smokeless products are used by approximately 20% of the Swedish adult population. According to data from Eurobarometer, Sweden has the lowest prevalence of cigarette use in the European Union (only 5% as compared to roughly 15% in the UK). In addition data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that Sweden has the lowest rate of tobacco related mortality and that amongst men they have the lowest incidence of lung cancer.
- Are there any side effects from using nicotine pouches?
As the nicotine is activated from the pouch you may feel a slight stinging sensation on the inside your lips or on your gums. This normally passes quickly. The degree of the stinging sensation can be accentuated by the flavours you are using.
Try switching sides in your mouth or drink a bit of water if you feel any discomfort from this stinging. If the feeling persists you may want to try a nicotine pouch with a lower nicotine content.
- Is there a limit to how many nicotine pouches I can consume in a day?
Consumption patterns are very individual so there is no hard and fast rule as to how many nicotine pouches you can use in a day. Our recommendation is to never allow your consumption to reach levels where you may feel ill or uncomfortable.
If you consume nicotine pouches in rapid succession you may be ingesting too much nicotine. Signs of excessive nicotine ingestion include headaches, nausea, dizziness, a dryness of the mouth and an elevated heart rate.
If you experience any of these symptoms we strongly recommend that you immediately discard your nicotine pouch and refrain from any nicotine ingestion for not less than 4 hours. This period of time should allow the nicotine levels in your body to dissipate to a level where you no longer feel any discomfort.
- Where can I learn more about quitting smoking?
There are a very large number of organizations and websites that are available to help you quit smoking. To help you get started we have listed some below:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/nhs-stop-smoking-services-help-you-quit/
https://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/ss/slideshow-13-best-quit-smoking-tips-ever
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/how-to-quit-smoking.htm
https://smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/pick-your-path/i-want-to-quit
https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/smoking/how-can-i-quit
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-depth/nicotine-craving/art-20045454
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/index.html
- Do nicotine pouches damage my gums?
Given that nicotine pouches are relatively new products we are unaware of any studies or research into the possible impact of nicotine pouches on your gums.
We strongly recommend that you discuss your intention to use nicotine pouches as an alternative to smoking and/or vaping with your dentist and/or doctor and follow any advice they may give you.
- What’s the difference between snus and nicotine pouches?
Snus (pronounced ‘snoos’) also comes in pouches, but is made entirely from tobacco that has been manufactured into a moist ‘mass’ that is stored in the pouch. They are used in exactly the same way that you use a nicotine pouch.
Given that snus contains tobacco, it follows that it also contains the constituents associated with tobacco use.
Apart from nicotine, nicotine pouches do not contain any tobacco constituents at all removing any possible adverse effects from these constituents.
- Who should NOT use nicotine pouches?
We strongly believe that nicotine pouches should only be used by informed adults that are seeking to quit smoking and/or vaping.
Nicotine is highly addictive and is NOT intended for use by kids or teenagers below the age of 18 - irrespective of whether or not they may be smokers.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with heart disease, elevated blood pressure or diabetes should NOT use nicotine pouches.