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Tag: Nicotine Pouches

  • Marijuana Use Hits High, Cigarette Low: Gallup

    Marijuana Use Hits High, Cigarette Low: Gallup

    Seventeen percent of U.S. adults say they smoke marijuana, matching Gallup’s record high, while cigarette smoking remains at a record-low 11%. The July 1-19 Gallup Consumption Habits poll also found that 15% consume marijuana edibles, 9% vape, and 4% use nicotine pouches. This is the first time Gallup included nicotine pouch use in its survey.

    Marijuana use is highest among younger adults, with 23% of those ages 18 to 29 and 25% of those 30 to 49 reporting smoking marijuana. Cigarette smoking is highest among adults ages 30 to 49 at 16%, while vaping reaches 17% among 18- to 29-year-olds. Nicotine pouch use is highest among adults ages 30 to 49 at 7%.

    Coffee remains the most popular nonalcoholic beverage, with 49% of adults drinking it daily. Tea and caffeinated soda each are consumed daily by about 20%, while 9% drink energy drinks daily. Gallup also found that 5% of Americans identify as vegetarian and 2% as vegan.

  • FDA authorizes 11 additional ZYN nicotine pouches

    FDA authorizes 11 additional ZYN nicotine pouches

    Today (Aug. 21), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized 11 new nicotine pouch products from Swedish Match USA under the Zyn Ultra brand through the premarket tobacco product application pathway. The products include 10 9-milligram varieties and one 11-milligram variety, covering flavors such as Chill, Citrus, Cool Mint, Deep Freeze, Menthol, Peppermint, Smooth, Spearmint, and Wintergreen.

    The FDA said its review found the products contain lower levels of most harmful and potentially harmful constituents than other oral and smokeless tobacco products. The agency also said product-specific data indicated the pouches appeal primarily to adults who currently smoke cigarettes or use smokeless tobacco and could provide sufficient nicotine to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, potentially supporting switching among adult tobacco users.

    “We are delighted with the FDA’s decision to authorize a range of ZYN ULTRA products, which will build on ZYN’s position as America’s leading smoke-free product brand,” said Stacey Kennedy, PMI U.S. CEO. “We look forward to expanding our portfolio of better choices for the 45 million Americans who consume nicotine products.” 

    The authorizations bring the number of FDA-authorized nicotine pouch products to 43, including 23 approved through the agency’s nicotine pouch pilot program. The FDA said the pilot has streamlined PMTA reviews and reduced the time needed to resolve deficiencies, with efficiencies now being applied to other tobacco-product applications.

  • Reuters: Nicotine Pouches Emerge as Big Tobacco’s Key Growth Bet

    Reuters: Nicotine Pouches Emerge as Big Tobacco’s Key Growth Bet

    Reuters reports that nicotine pouches are attracting increasing investor attention as cigarette sales decline, with rapid volume growth, strong margins and relatively light regulation in many markets making brands such as PMI’s Zyn and BAT’s Velo a major focus for tobacco companies. BAT expects the global pouch market to grow from £4 billion in 2025 to £11 billion by 2030, while pouch volumes in its Asia, Middle East and Africa markets increased 27.5% to about 700 million in the first half of 2026.

    Reuters said the category also offers higher profitability than several competing alternatives. PMI reported that its U.S. oral nicotine business generated eight times the gross profit per 1,000 units of its international cigarette business in 2024, compared with 2.4 times for IQOS heated tobacco. Analysts said pouch performance is increasingly influencing tobacco-company valuations, while the products’ lack of smoke or vapor allows them to be used in locations where other nicotine products may be restricted.

    The story noted that wider adoption remains uncertain, particularly in markets without an established oral nicotine culture. Analysts cited consumer familiarity with inhaled products as a key barrier, while regulators are increasingly scrutinizing youth uptake, marketing and high nicotine strengths. France has banned pouches, while Finland, the EU and Britain are tightening rules. Despite expectations for continued growth, PMI and BAT say no single alternative will replace cigarettes, with diverse portfolios needed to accommodate different consumer preferences.

  • FDA Authorizes Four New on! Nicotine Pouches

    FDA Authorizes Four New on! Nicotine Pouches

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the authorization of four additional on! nicotine pouch products through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway: Rich Berry 2 mg, Cappuccino 2 mg, Cappuccino 4 mg, and Autumn Spice 2 mg. Manufactured by Helix Innovations LLC, the products were reviewed under the FDA’s nicotine pouch pilot program, which is designed to streamline PMTA reviews and improve review efficiency. The agency said lessons from the pilot are now being applied to other PMTA reviews.

    The FDA concluded that the newly authorized products contain lower levels of most harmful and potentially harmful constituents than traditional oral and smokeless tobacco products. The agency said adults 21 and older who completely switch from cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to FDA-authorized nicotine pouches may reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals, while noting that dual use does not provide the same level of risk reduction. With the latest authorizations, the FDA has now authorized 30 nicotine pouch products through the PMTA pathway.

  • Australia Tightens Import Controls on Nicotine Pouches

    Australia Tightens Import Controls on Nicotine Pouches

    Australia strengthened regulation of nicotine pouches under new rules that took effect over the weekend, placing the products under the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s therapeutic goods framework. The changes restrict the import of unapproved nicotine pouches, extending Australia’s strict regulatory approach beyond nicotine vaping products to another smoke-free nicotine category.

    The new rules do not prohibit all nicotine pouch use but require products to meet regulatory approval requirements before they can be legally imported or supplied. The move aligns nicotine pouches with Australia’s existing controls on nicotine products and reflects the country’s continued focus on regulating emerging nicotine alternatives through therapeutic product oversight.

  • ALP Accelerating UK, European Expansion

    ALP Accelerating UK, European Expansion

    ALP Pouches announced its expansion into the UK and European markets as part of its international growth strategy. Founded in late 2024 as a direct-to-consumer brand, ALP said it became the top DTC nicotine pouch brand in the U.S. before entering retail, reaching nearly 1% of U.S. convenience store nicotine pouch sales within 90 days of its retail rollout, according to Nielsen data. The company is launching across 11 European markets in July, with a goal of becoming one of Europe’s leading nicotine pouch brands by 2030. ALP said it will support the expansion through retail partnerships and marketing initiatives, including a global partnership with UFC fighter Conor McGregor.

  • Macau Tightens Tobacco Control Regs

    Macau Tightens Tobacco Control Regs

    Macau’s Legislative Assembly approved a bill expanding outdoor smoke-free areas, with the new law set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. The legislation prohibits smoking in designated public areas, including parts of Alameda Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção, the Border Gate checkpoint, and the Ruins of Saint Paul’s. Also, it bans smoking within 10 meters of entrances to hospitals, schools, and childcare facilities. Designated smoking areas will still be permitted in certain locations.

    The law also strengthens restrictions on alternative nicotine products and tobacco packaging. Possession and use of e-cigarettes in public areas will be prohibited from July 1, 2027, alongside higher fines for the use of nicotine pouches, herbal cigarettes, and water pipes. In addition, tobacco packaging will be required to display health warnings covering 85% of the front and back surfaces (70% for cigars) beginning July 1, 2028.

  • Spain Looks to Include Most Nicotine Products as It Extends Smoking Ban

    Spain Looks to Include Most Nicotine Products as It Extends Smoking Ban

    Spain’s government unveiled draft legislation that would ban smoking on outdoor bar and restaurant terraces while significantly expanding the country’s smoke-free areas and applying the same public-use restrictions to vaping products, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, hookahs, and herbal inhalation devices as conventional cigarettes. The proposal, which still requires parliamentary approval, would also prohibit smoking within 15 meters of entrances to public buildings, schools, healthcare facilities, and playgrounds, as well as at sports venues, universities, public swimming pools, work vehicles, and public events.

    The hospitality sector has opposed the terrace smoking ban, warning it could shift smoking into private homes and negatively affect businesses.

  • Australia’s Tobacco Use Down, Pouches & Black Market Up: Survey

    Australia’s Tobacco Use Down, Pouches & Black Market Up: Survey

    Australia’s latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey shows daily smoking continues to decline, with the number of daily smokers falling by more than half since 2001 to about 1.3 million Australians, while 68.7% of people aged 14 and older report never having smoked. The 2025 survey also found daily e-cigarette use has largely plateaued since 2022, with frequent vaping among 18- to 24-year-olds dropping from 11.3% to 5.8%.

    However, researchers highlighted emerging challenges, including rising illicit tobacco use and nicotine pouches. The survey found one in three smokers now purchase black-market cigarettes — double the proportion reported in 2022 — while use of three or more nicotine products has tripled since 2019, signaling growing concern over poly-nicotine use despite overall declines in smoking.

  • Nicotine Pouches May Cause Receding Gums: Study

    Nicotine Pouches May Cause Receding Gums: Study

    A new Swedish study suggests tobacco-free nicotine pouches may cause gum recession, redness, and oral discomfort, with effects comparable to — and in some cases greater than — those associated with traditional snus. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute found that 45% of nicotine pouch users exhibited receding gums, compared with 52% of snus users and just 6% of non-users, with damage typically occurring where the pouches were placed. The study also found nicotine pouch users experienced more gum irritation than snus users, which researchers said may be linked to flavoring ingredients. While the absence of tobacco eliminates exposure to many known carcinogens, the authors said the long-term health effects of nicotine pouches remain unclear and warrant further study.