Characterization of Total and Unprotonated (Free) Nicotine Content of Nicotine Pouch Products

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This article provides an analysis of the chemistry and characteristics of nicotine pouch products, a relatively new type of smokeless tobacco product that contains nicotine salts but no tobacco leaf material. The study focuses on 37 nicotine pouch brands from six manufacturers, assessing their pouch content mass, moisture content, ph, and nicotine content.

Key Points:

* Nicotine pouch products vary significantly in pouch content mass, moisture content (1.12%-47.2%), ph (6.86-10.1), and % free nicotine (7.7%-99.2%).
* Total nicotine content ranges from 1.29 to 6.11 mg/pouch, while free nicotine ranges from 0.166 to 6.07 mg/pouch.
* Most nicotine pouch products (36 out of 37) have flavor descriptors, such as mint, licorice, coffee, cinnamon, and fruit.
* The presence of alkaline agents, such as carbonates and bicarbonates, contributes to higher ph values in some products.
* Nicotine pouches may deliver nicotine comparable to traditional tobacco products, raising concerns about potential initiation and use among vulnerable populations, including youth.
* The study's findings are subject to potential sampling bias due to undercoverage and a small sample size.
* The chemistry and potential health risks of nicotine pouches are not well understood, and researchers should include them in public health surveillance, research, and evaluation efforts.

Main Message:
Nicotine pouches, while not containing tobacco leaf material, still present concerns due to their nicotine content and the potential appeal to both novice and experienced tobacco users, including young people. It is crucial to include these emerging tobacco products in comprehensive tobacco control research, policy, and practice efforts to better understand their chemistry, potential health risks, and impact on public health.

Stanfill, S., Tran, h., Tyx, R., Fernandez, C., Zhu, W., Marynak, K., King, B., Valentín-Blasini, L., Blount, B. C., & Watson, C. (2021). Characterization of Total and Unprotonated (Free) Nicotine Content of Nicotine Pouch Products. Nicotine & Tobacco Research: Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 23(9), 1590–1596. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntab030