A landmark study from Rutgers University offers the clearest national picture yet of nicotine pouch use in the United States, and the findings reinforce what harm reduction advocates have long argued: nicotine pouches are primarily being used by adults with prior tobacco experience, not by nicotine-naïve individuals.
A New National Estimate
The Rutgers-led research, published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, represents the first national estimate of daily nicotine pouch use in the U.S. The data show that virtually no never-smokers or never-vapers are using pouches regularly. Instead, use is concentrated among:
- Current or former tobacco users, particularly those seeking smoke-free alternatives.
- Adults who have recently attempted to quit smoking.
In other words, the pattern of pouch adoption is precisely aligned with harm reduction goals, providing safer options for those who already use nicotine rather than attracting new users.
Harm Reduction in Practice
The Rutgers findings underscore that nicotine pouches, tobacco-free oral products delivering nicotine without combustion, can play a valuable role in reducing tobacco-related harm. By eliminating smoke and thousands of toxic combustion byproducts, these products deliver nicotine in a form that is vastly less harmful than cigarettes.
As the study notes, pouch users overwhelmingly overlap with populations already at risk from combustible tobacco, suggesting that pouches are serving as a pathway out of smoking, not a gateway into it.
Policy Implications
These data come at a critical time, as policymakers across the U.S. and Europe debate how to regulate nicotine pouches. The Rutgers evidence challenges alarmist narratives that these products are driving youth or never-smoker uptake. Instead, it provides real-world confirmation that properly regulated smoke-free alternatives can complement traditional cessation efforts and reduce smoking prevalence.
Public health policy that ignores such evidence risks stifling innovation that helps smokers transition away from combustible products. A balanced approach, combining strict youth protection with adult access to lower-risk options, remains the most effective path forward.
GINN’s Perspective
At GINN, we welcome the Rutgers study as a vital contribution to the evidence base for risk-proportionate nicotine regulation. These findings align with data from Sweden and other smoke-free markets showing that adult substitution, not youth initiation, drives demand for modern oral nicotine.
As the debate on nicotine policy intensifies, the message from science is clear: smoke-free products can reduce harm, when adults have access, and misinformation gives way to evidence.
