Nicotine Pouch Unit Sales in the US From 2016 to 2020

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research letter regarding nicotine pouch unit sales in the US from 2016 to 2020. The letter discusses the rise in popularity of nicotine pouches, which are a type of smokeless tobacco product that contains nicotine salts. These pouches are sold in varying strengths and flavors by leading smokeless tobacco manufacturers. The study assesses nicotine pouch sales using retail scanner data from convenience, club, discount, and dollar stores, mass merchandisers, supermarkets, pharmacies, and military commissaries in the contiguous 48 states and Washington, DC.

Key Points:

* Nicotine pouch sales increased from 163,178 units ($709,635) in 2016 to 45,965,455 units ($216,886,819) during the January to June 13, 2020, period.
* Mint flavors were the most commonly sold across the study period, but during the January 2019-June 2020 period, unit sales of fruit-flavored nicotine pouches increased more rapidly than mint and other nonfruit or nonmint flavors.
* Swedish Match led unit share, peaking at 92.6% in July 2019, but by June 2020, they comprised 78.7% of unit share, followed by Altria (10.0%), BAT (7.6%), Rogue (2.4%), and Kretek International (1.3%).
* Convenience stores accounted for 97.7% of total sales.
* Nicotine pouches contain nicotine salts that deliver high levels of nicotine with less irritation than the free-base nicotine in most smokeless tobacco products.
* Nicotine is highly addictive and harms fetal development and can harm brain development through age 25 years.
* All tobacco products, including nicotine pouches, are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Main Message:
The main message of this text is that nicotine pouch sales have increased significantly since 2016, with Swedish Match leading unit sales. Mint flavors were the most commonly sold, but fruit-flavored nicotine pouches have seen a rapid increase in sales. Nicotine pouches contain nicotine salts, which deliver high levels of nicotine with less irritation than other smokeless tobacco products. However, nicotine is highly addictive and can harm fetal development and brain development through age 25 years. All tobacco products, including nicotine pouches, are regulated by the FDA, and manufacturers are required to comply with marketing restrictions and provide certain product information to the FDA. It is essential for clinicians to ask patients about any tobacco product use, including nicotine pouches.

Hrywna, M., Lewis, M. J., & Ling, P. M. (2021). Nicotine Pouch Unit Sales in the US From 2016 to 2020. JAMA, 326(22), 2330–2331. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.19059