assessing consumer use and behaviour patterns of oral nicotine pouches in a multi-country study

Introduction:
This text reports the findings of a survey on the usage patterns and behaviors of consumers of tobacco-free nicotine pouches in a multi-country study. The survey was conducted to monitor the use of these reduced-risk products and to support their assessment. The study focused on the oral nicotine use history, mouth hold duration, nicotine strength, average daily consumption, and flavor preferences of current nicotine pouch users.

Key Points:

* The survey was conducted in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with 550 participants.
* Most participants used nicotine pouches for 12 months or less, except in Sweden where the proportion was 41.0%.
* Pouches containing 6-15 mg nicotine were used most frequently in all countries, and particularly 11-15 mg pouches in Sweden and Denmark.
* average daily consumption across all countries was 1-5 pouches, closely followed by 6-10 pouches in Sweden and Denmark.
* Menthol was the most preferred flavor in all countries, followed by fruity and other food flavors.
* Most respondents were poly users, consuming three or four types of product, with cigarettes still used by more than two-thirds of respondents in Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark.
* Larger proportions of participants perceived oral nicotine pouches to be "much less harmful" than cigarette smoking, particularly in Sweden.

Main Message:
The study provides valuable insights into the usage patterns and behaviors of consumers of tobacco-free nicotine pouches in different countries. The findings show that most participants believed that non-combustible tobacco and nicotine products, including cessation aids, were less harmful than cigarettes. The differences in the perception of risk between Sweden and the other countries might be explained by the extensive experience of snus and Sweden's low cigarette smoking rate. however, the study also highlights the need for further research with larger sample sizes to understand product use patterns more clearly and accurately. Overall, the findings suggest that tobacco-free nicotine pouches could be an effective nicotine delivery alternative to cigarettes, with most participants favoring mint/menthol and fruity flavored nicotine pouches.

Prasad, Krishna, Mandara Shetty, Claudia Kanitscheider, Boglárka Szentes, Rokaya Nassar, and Lauren Edward. “assessing Consumer Use and Behaviour Patterns of Oral Nicotine Pouches in a Multi-Country Study.” International Journal of Scientific Reports 8, no. 6 (May 24, 2022): 173. https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-2156.IntJSciRep20221344.