Nicotine pouches have become an important tool in harm reduction, offering a smoke-free alternative to traditional cigarettes. Many veterans, who historically have higher smoking rates than the general population, have turned to these products as a way to transition away from combustible tobacco. However, recent legislative proposals in New York and other jurisdictions seek to ban nicotine pouches, a move that could have significant unintended consequences for those who rely on these alternatives.
Veterans have long faced higher rates of smoking due to the stresses associated with military service. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans are more likely to smoke than civilians, increasing their risk of lung disease, heart disease, and cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 30 percent of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan smoke cigarettes, compared to 16 percent of the general U.S. adult population. Given these statistics, access to harm reduction alternatives is crucial in reducing the health burden faced by veterans and other high-risk groups.
Nicotine pouches provide a way for individuals to consume nicotine without exposure to the harmful byproducts of combustion. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged that non-combustible nicotine products are significantly less harmful than cigarettes. Research supports that nicotine pouches eliminate exposure to harmful combustion byproducts, reduce secondhand smoke risks, and offer a discreet alternative for nicotine users. Countries such as Sweden, which have embraced smokeless nicotine alternatives like snus, have some of the lowest smoking rates in the world, demonstrating the potential of these products in tobacco harm reduction.
Despite their potential benefits, lawmakers in New York are considering banning flavored nicotine pouches due to concerns about youth access and regulation. Protecting young people from nicotine addiction is an important priority, but an outright ban would have significant negative consequences. Removing legal access to nicotine pouches could push adult users back to smoking combustible cigarettes, creating greater public health risks. History has shown that when safer alternatives are restricted, many consumers revert to more harmful options. Prohibition could also lead to the rise of a black market, as seen with flavored vape bans in some U.S. states.
In New York, where illicit tobacco sales are already a challenge, banning nicotine pouches could worsen the problem. Without regulated and legally available options, consumers may turn to unregulated markets where product safety and quality cannot be guaranteed. This outcome contradicts public health goals and undermines efforts to provide viable harm reduction strategies.
Instead of bans, policymakers should implement risk-proportionate regulations that differentiate between combustible and non-combustible nicotine products. Regulations should ensure that safer alternatives remain available to adult smokers while preventing youth access through responsible retail controls and marketing restrictions. Public education on harm reduction should be prioritized to ensure consumers understand the relative risks of different nicotine products. Sweden’s approach, which embraces reduced-risk alternatives while maintaining strong consumer protections, serves as a model for effective regulation.
Banning nicotine pouches is a step in the wrong direction. Veterans and other adult smokers deserve access to alternatives that reduce their health risks rather than policies that push them back toward cigarettes. Science-based regulations must remain the focus, ensuring that nicotine pouches continue to serve as a harm reduction tool rather than becoming another casualty of prohibitionist policies.
As policymakers consider new nicotine regulations, harm reduction, public health, and consumer choice must guide the decision-making process. Rather than removing options that help people transition away from smoking, efforts should be focused on ensuring these alternatives are accessible, regulated responsibly, and supported by scientific evidence.
Read more about the risks of banning nicotine pouches in the Times Union commentary:
Times Union: Banning Nicotine Pouches Will Hurt Veterans
