Nicotine Pouches

What to know

Nicotine pouches contain a powder made of nicotine, flavorings, and other ingredients. The powder dissolves in the mouth, and nicotine is absorbed through the gums and lining of the mouth. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical that is especially dangerous for youth, young adults, and pregnant people. Get the facts about nicotine pouches and their health effects.

The bottom line

  • There are no safe tobacco products, including nicotine pouches. This is especially true for youth, young adults, and people who are pregnant.
  • Youth, young adults, and people who are pregnant should not use nicotine pouches. People who do not currently use tobacco products, including nicotine pouches, should not start.
  • Nicotine pouches contain a powder made of nicotine, flavorings, and other ingredients. The powder dissolves in the mouth without requiring spitting. Nicotine is absorbed through the gums and lining of the mouth.
  • Nicotine pouches can contain high levels of nicotine—a highly addictive chemical.12
  • Many brands of nicotine pouches are made by major tobacco companies.34 They are available in a variety of flavors and are often marketed using strategies similar to those used for other tobacco products.345 Research shows these strategies appeal to young people.67
  • More research is needed to better understand the short- and long-term health effects of using nicotine pouches.
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved nicotine pouches as a smoking cessation aid.

Nicotine pouches

  • Nicotine pouches are small microfiber pouches that contain a powder made of nicotine, flavorings, and other ingredients. People typically put pouches between their lip and gum, where the nicotine is absorbed.3 Nicotine pouches do not require spitting and are disposable.
  • Products have different amounts of nicotine per pouch and can contain high levels of nicotine.2
  • Nicotine pouches come in different flavors, such as cinnamon, citrus, mint, or coffee.3 Hundreds of communities have prohibited the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including nicotine pouches.
  • Nicotine pouches do not include tobacco leaf. Some contain nicotine made from tobacco plants. Some contain nicotine made in a laboratory. These pouches may be referred to as synthetic nicotine or non-tobacco nicotine (NTN) products and may be marketed as "tobacco-free." There is little chemical difference between tobacco-derived nicotine and synthetic nicotine.
  • Nicotine pouches are marketed as smokeless products, similar to moist snuff and snus.

Health effects of using nicotine pouches

  • Nicotine pouches entered the U.S. market in 2016. Scientists are still learning about the short- and long-term health effects of using them.
  • There are no safe tobacco products, including nicotine pouches. This is particularly true for youth, young adults, and people who are pregnant.6
    • Nicotine is highly addictive.
    • Nicotine is toxic to developing fetuses and is a health danger for pregnant people.18
    • Nicotine can harm brain development, which continues until about age 25.6
    • Youth can start showing signs of nicotine addiction quickly, even if they are not using tobacco products regularly or daily.6
    • Using nicotine during adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.6
    • Adolescents who use nicotine may be at increased risk for future addiction to other drugs.69

Nicotine pouches and quitting smoking

The FDA has not approved any nicotine pouches to help people quit smoking. Researchers need more information to understand the potential effects that nicotine pouches may have on quitting smoking. Nicotine is highly addictive, which can make it hard to quit using tobacco. Resources are available to help.

The FDA has approved seven medications to help people quit smoking. These medications are safe to use and can increase the chances that someone will quit smoking for good. Combining medication with behavioral counseling can more than double a person's chances of successfully quitting.10

Not an FDA-approved method‎

Nicotine pouches are not an FDA-approved method for quitting smoking.

Nicotine pouch use in the United States

  • In 2022, 2.9% of U.S. adults reported ever using nicotine pouches, and 0.4% reported current use.11
    • Nicotine pouch use was reported most often by adults who currently smoked, followed by adults who formerly smoked and adults who never smoked.
    • Younger age groups, males, and non-Hispanic White adults more often reported nicotine pouch use.
  • In 2024, 1.8% of middle and high school students reported currently using nicotine pouches.12

Nicotine pouch sales in the United States

  • Sales of nicotine pouches, including flavored pouches, increased from 126 million pouches in August 2019 to 808 million in March 2022.13
  • Nicotine pouches with 6 mg nicotine concentration or less were the most commonly sold type of pouches during 2019–2022. However, sales of nicotine pouches with 8 mg nicotine concentrations increased faster than those with lower nicotine concentration during this time.13
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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Office on Smoking and Health
  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: 50 Years of Progress. A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2014.
  2. Stanfill S, Tran H, Tyx R, et al. Characterization of total and unprotonated (free) nicotine content of nicotine pouch products. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021;23(9):1590–1596.
  3. Robichaud MO, Seidenberg AB, Byron MJ. Tobacco companies introduce 'tobacco-free' nicotine pouches. Tobacco Control. 2020;29:e145–e146.
  4. Marynak KL, Wang X, Borowiecki M, et al. Nicotine pouch unit sales in the US, 2016-2020. JAMA. 2021;326(6):566–568.
  5. Tobacco Tactics. Nicotine pouches. University of Bath. Accessed Aug 30, 2024. https://tobaccotactics.org/article/nicotine-pouches/
  6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults. A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2016.
  7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults. A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2012.
  8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-attributable Disease. A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2010.
  9. Yuan M, Cross SJ, Loughlin SE, Leslie FM. Nicotine and the adolescent brain. J Physiol. 2015;593(16):3397–3412.
  10. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Smoking Cessation. A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2020.
  11. Dai HD, Leventhal AM. Prevalence of nicotine pouch use among US adults. JAMA. 332(9):755–757.
  12. Park-Lee E, Jamal A, Cowan H, et al. Notes from the field: e-cigarette and nicotine pouch use among middle and high school students — United States, 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(35):774–778.
  13. Majmundar A, Okitondo C, Xue A, Asare S, Bandi P, Nargis N. Nicotine pouch sales trends in the US by volume and nicotine concentration levels from 2019 to 2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(11):e2242235.