Nicotine Pouches Get a Green Light From New Study: But What Are They?

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Trying to follow the latest crazes in nicotine consumption can definitely feel heady- but an old favorite may be the next best thing.

From the humble tomato, to some of the most intensely useful cardiac medications on the market, the nightshade family seems to be ever present in our daily lives. Despite histories of dramatic and clandestine poisonings, or using the roots of belladonna as a beauty treatment- the reality is that this little horticultural family is stuffed into our pantries, cascading from our gardens, and even packed into our lips?

Yes, tobacco is a part of the illustrious family of lore-riddled plants. And, just like nightshade itself- tobacco has come into some pretty contentious scrutiny in the last few decades. What was once touted as a robust tonic for health and wellness- pressed by physicians on both men and women- quickly became the stark opposite. As now most consumers do their best to avoid the stigma of smoking, by using discreet nicotine pouches, or vape products.

What Are Nicotine Pouches?

Nicotine pouches are akin to the use of vape pens, or nicotine patches themselves. Providing nicotine consumers a way to delicately obscure their use of tobacco products while in public. But that’s not the only thing that these petite pouches bring to the table.

Nicotine pouches offer a unique experience when it comes to getting your daily top-up of nicotine mitigated neurotransmitter release. Unlike cigarettes, there is no combustion involved in this particular route, and unlike chew, the amount you get is pre-portioned as optimum. You also don’t get the added detractor of small flecks of tobacco jammed in your smile.

Smile aside, there are often many hygienic upsides to choosing nicotine pouches over regular chewing tobacco. With pouches, nicotine is absorbed through the mucous membranes between the gumline and lip. All of the tobacco is contained within the semi-permeable pouch, so it doesn’t get all over your grill and there is no need to spit. Most modern nicotine pouch canisters also contain a special compartment for used pouches. Making them even more ideal for discreet public use.

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Latest Studies on Toxicity

In a recent study, published in September of 2020, nicotine pouches showed lower toxicity levels than other more traditional forms of nicotine consumption. Moreover, some researchers showed some intense positivity when it came to the reduced bio activity of nicotine pouches, concluding that the current study supported the reduced risk potential of nicotine pouches over other forms of nicotine delivery systems.

Specifically as nicotine use has become a staple to many societies as well as economies, science seems to be striving to find better alternatives for use- particularly those that reduce the inherent risks associated with using nicotine products. Largely because, despite historic health concerns, nicotine does bring some positives to the table.

Mild analgesic effects, serotonin and dopamine release, and depending on what levels a person consumes- it can also behave as a stimulant, or a sedative. Moreover, nicotine can be found in smaller concentrations among many of the vegetables that reside in the nightshade family- including tomatoes and potatoes. So it would be next to impossible to completely remove the compound from human consumptive patterns. So, as it has already been bred into our society, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever truly see total cessation of nicotine products- luckily, the world keeps driving forward to find the routes that reduce risk, while still allowing for indulgence.

Author: Amanda Jones
Author: Amanda Jones

Amanda Jones specializes in social media marketing. She holds a Master's degree in Social Media Management from the University of Florida and a Social Media Professional Certificate from the University of Miami.

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