06/06/2024

A New Craze: Oral Nicotine Pouches

Information from Sarah McColgan, MHOA's Tobacco Control Director

Oral nicotine pouches (ONP) come in many forms including chews, lozenges, disks, gum, sticks, pouches and other products that are not traditional combustible tobacco products.  They do not contain tobacco, but in MA they are considered a tobacco product because they contain nicotine.

ONP is placed between the lip and gums.  Once the nicotine is absorbed into the body it is thrown away.

The use of ONP is increasing dramatically.  Between 2019 and 2022, the sale of these products increased in these three years by almost 700%.   They are marketed most recognizably under the names Zyn, Velo and On.  

With higher concentrations of nicotine, the body absorbs increasing amounts of nicotine per pouch than from combustible cigarettes.  There are 2-3 times more nicotine being absorbed from one pouch compared to one cigarette.

Nicotine impacts brain development, increases heart rate and blood pressure and may have an impact on reproductive health.  Long term use of ONP is still being studied.  We do know that symptoms of nicotine sickness include vomiting, nausea, headache, increased blood pressure and heart rate.

ONP is packaged and marketed in ways mirroring candy.  The pouches come in small metal tins that can easily be hidden in pockets or backpacks.  The marketing appeals to 13- to 20-year-olds. One tin in MA costs less than half the price of a pack of cigarettes.   With the rise in social media, influencers are called “zynfluencers.”  Phillip Morris International has instituted a rewards program for purchases similar to their old combustible cigarette rewards program.  

What can local health boards of health do to stem the tide of this emerging product? 

1) enforce the state restriction on nicotine strength in non-age restricted stores.  The nicotine content of these products varies, and to be sold in a non-age restricted store the nicotine strength must be 35 mg/ml or less;

2) ONP is often marketed in flavors.  Enforce the flavor restriction, prohibiting the sale of all flavored products to DOR licensed smoking bars for on-site consumption only;

3) the sale of ONP can be restricted to adult-only retail tobacco stores.

For technical assistance contact Lisa Stevens-Goodnight (lstevensgoodnight@mma.org), Cheryl Sbarra (csbarra@mahb.org) or Sarah McColgan (smccolgan@mhoa.com).