Inflation Leads Smokers to Cheaper Cigarettes

New inflation survey data examining the opinions of U.S. smokers found that, due to higher prices, smokers were more likely to switch to cheaper cigarettes rather than less expensive as well as less harmful alternative nicotine products. In examining smoker attitudes, this survey also found a lack of education regarding harm reduction products, with almost a third of smokers surveyed saying that nicotine pouches were more harmful than traditional cigarettes.

“In times of rising inflation, it is even more critical that smokers are well informed about the benefits of harm reduction products as it is an opportunity both for health and wallet,” said Markus Lindblad, head of external affairs at Nicokick, an e-commerce company in the smokeless industry, in a statement.

“Instead of switching to a lower-cost traditional cigarette due to rising prices, a better outcome would be switching to cheaper, harm-reduced alternative products like nicotine pouches, gum, or lozenges. Unfortunately, this survey found many smokers are not aware of the health benefits of switching to alternative products like nicotine pouches, and it is incumbent upon policymakers to address this misconception if they are serious about better public health outcomes.”

The survey also found that half of Americans say more education on the less harmful nature of alternative nicotine products would help them switch from cigarettes to products like vapes or nicotine pouches.

Only 21 percent of those surveyed view nicotine pouches as less harmful than cigarettes, with 30 percent incorrectly saying that nicotine pouches are more harmful than traditional cigarettes.

Thirty-six percent of respondents said vaping was more harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes.