A nationwide Dutch study led by researchers at Leiden University Medical Center said that 7% of emergency department patients had symptoms directly attributable to “nicotine use,” based on survey responses from 2,061 patients across 67 hospitals during a 24-hour period in November 2025. Researchers estimate that equates to 26,000 emergency visits directly related to nicotine, and 193,000 overall cases in which nicotine “played a role,” including lung irritation and breathing problems. Cigarette smoking accounted for 86% of nicotine use among the respondents, while the survey also asked about e-cigarettes, snus, and nicotine pouches.
