TY - JOUR
T1 - A Comprehensive Review on Oral Nicotine Pouches
T2 - Available Scientific Evidence and Future Research Needs
AU - Zamarripa, C. Austin
AU - Dowd, Ashley N.
AU - Elder, Harrison J.
AU - Czaplicki, Lauren
AU - Tfayli, Dana
AU - Rastogi, Kriti
AU - Thrul, Johannes
AU - Strickland, Justin
AU - Moran, Meghan
AU - Spindle, Tory R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 American Psychological Association
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) are an emergent class of tobacco products that, unlike conventional oral smokeless tobacco products, contain a nicotine powder instead of tobacco leaves. This review synthesizes available data on ONPs in key research domains including survey studies, marketing/advertising studies, chemical characterization and in vitro studies, and clinical studies. Research findings relevant for ONP regulations are summarized, including who uses these products and why, how marketing tactics influence appeal and use intentions, what harmful and potentially harmful constituents they contain, and what acute effects they have on humans. Taken together, the current data suggest that ONPs likely produce less harm to individual users than conventional tobacco products (e.g., moist snuff, cigarettes) and can acutely suppress nicotine/tobacco withdrawal symptoms among current cigarette smokers. Thus, ONPs may be a viable harm reduction option for individuals who switch completely to using them from conventional products. However, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine if established tobacco users would use ONPs long term, and more independent academic research is needed given that most ONP studies to date are tobacco industry-funded. Additionally, ONPs have qualities (e.g., flavors, marketing claims of “tobacco free”) that could increase appeal among youth and young adults, and these products can deliver nicotine at levels sufficient to cause dependence; widespread adoption of ONPs among otherwise nicotine-naive individuals may reduce their net public health benefit. This review concludes by suggesting future research directions necessary to increase scientific understanding of ONPs and inform regulations for these increasingly popular products.
AB - Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) are an emergent class of tobacco products that, unlike conventional oral smokeless tobacco products, contain a nicotine powder instead of tobacco leaves. This review synthesizes available data on ONPs in key research domains including survey studies, marketing/advertising studies, chemical characterization and in vitro studies, and clinical studies. Research findings relevant for ONP regulations are summarized, including who uses these products and why, how marketing tactics influence appeal and use intentions, what harmful and potentially harmful constituents they contain, and what acute effects they have on humans. Taken together, the current data suggest that ONPs likely produce less harm to individual users than conventional tobacco products (e.g., moist snuff, cigarettes) and can acutely suppress nicotine/tobacco withdrawal symptoms among current cigarette smokers. Thus, ONPs may be a viable harm reduction option for individuals who switch completely to using them from conventional products. However, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine if established tobacco users would use ONPs long term, and more independent academic research is needed given that most ONP studies to date are tobacco industry-funded. Additionally, ONPs have qualities (e.g., flavors, marketing claims of “tobacco free”) that could increase appeal among youth and young adults, and these products can deliver nicotine at levels sufficient to cause dependence; widespread adoption of ONPs among otherwise nicotine-naive individuals may reduce their net public health benefit. This review concludes by suggesting future research directions necessary to increase scientific understanding of ONPs and inform regulations for these increasingly popular products.
KW - harm reduction
KW - nicotine/tobacco
KW - oral nicotine pouches
KW - tobacco regulatory science
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85211046313&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85211046313&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/pha0000755
DO - 10.1037/pha0000755
M3 - Article
C2 - 39621395
AN - SCOPUS:85211046313
SN - 1064-1297
JO - Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology
JF - Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology
ER -