6 Health Effects of Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches are tobacco free, small, smokeless, typically white pouches that contain powdered nicotine. Nicotine pouches are used by placing it in your mouth between the upper lip and the gum. Nicotine pouches include nicotine, fillers, flavorings, stabilizers, and sweeteners. Nicotine from the pouch is absorbed into the bloodstream via the oral mucosa and is then transferred to the brain’s reward system.

 Nicotine has both a sedative and a stimulating effect on the body. The main health effects of nicotine pouches are (Gilmore, 2023): 

• frequent hiccups
• nausea
• irritation of gums
• sore mouth
• nicotine addiction
• increased relapse when using tobacco products.

Nicotine pouches have the largest markets in the USA and other high middle-income countries, according to the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (Janzzao, 2022).78% of the users of nicotine pouches are male and 22% are female, according to Tobacco Intelligence (2022). Nicotine pouches are divided into categories based on their nicotine content, flavor and size.

There is an abundant selection of different nicotine pouches. There are three main characteristics that help to categorize the nicotine pouch types:

• nicotine content 
• flavor
• size 

Snusboss offers the best selection of nicotine pouches in all available categories.

1. Frequent Hiccups

The first most common health effect of nicotine pouches is frequent hiccups according to Mayo Clinic. Hiccups are sudden movements of the diaphragm or repeated spasms that you cannot control. Long term frequent hiccups can lead to weight loss and extreme tiredness. 

2. Nausea

The second most common health effect of nicotine pouches is nausea. Nausea is a feeling of sickness or discomfort in the stomach that may come with an urge to vomit. Long term nausea leads to exhaustion and in some cases vomiting. Stay hydrated with clear liquids and avoid fatty or spicy foods. When nausea lasts too long (24 hours) then you need to contact a doctor. 

3. Irritation of Gums

The third most common health effect of nicotine pouches is the irritation of gums. Irritation of gums means having painful gums due to the acidity of nicotine pouches. Irritation of gums can lead to gum inflammation. Untreated gum inflammation leads to inflammation in soft tissue and bone responsible for keeping our teeth firmly anchored. Untreated inflammation eventually leads to tooth loss.

4. Sore Mouth

The fourth most common health effect of nicotine pouches is sore mouth. Mouth sores are common ailments that can appear on any of the soft tissues of your mouth (Healthline, 2023). They are usually a minor irritation and last only 1 or 2 weeks. You need to contact a doctor when mouth sores last for longer than 2 weeks. Untreated mouth sores lead to scarring and problems with eating.

5. Nicotine Addiction

The fifth most common health effect of nicotine pouches is nicotine addiction. Nicotine addiction means that physical and psychological factors make it difficult for a person to stop using nicotine, even if the person wants to quit. The effects of nicotine addiction on the body are that the user’s body craves for the release of feel-good hormones and mentally the person consciously desires for nicotine’s effects. The health effects of nicotine addiction can also include: sleep disturbances, problems with concentration, cravings, depression, anxiety, weight gain, negative emotions and restlessness.

6. Increased risk of Relapse when Using Tobacco Products

The sixth most common health effect of nicotine pouches is increased risk of relapse when using tobacco products. Increased risk of relapse when using tobacco products means that the person is more likely to pick up using nicotine products after some time of not using them (abstinence). Its effect on the body is having a bigger craving for tobacco than a person who has not used them before.

What Is a Nicotine Pouch?

Nicotine pouches, also called modern oral nicotine products, are white, thin and tobacco free pouches containing nicotine and other ingredients. They are used by placing them in your mouth between the gum and the upper lip. There is 0 – 60 mg of nicotine in nicotine pouches (10-20 % of it is absorbed).  There is 8 – 20 mg of nicotine found in a cigarette (1 mg is absorbed). After the nicotine is absorbed into the body it will break down into cotinine. Cotinine improves reference and working memories, attention, and helps to exclude fear memory, as well as reduces both the startle response and anxiety (Moran,2012). Nicotine leaves your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using nicotine products, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days. Neither nicotine or cotinine will be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping the usage of nicotine products.

Read more about what is nicotine dependence.

Why do nicotine pouches exist?

Nicotine pouches exist because there was a need for a safer way to deliver nicotine into the body without the harmful effects of tobacco and smoke (WebMD). Nicotine pouches are discrete and can be used everywhere unlike combustible tobacco products. Because nicotine pouches are smokeless there is no toxicity for lungs or threat of secondhand smoking. Nicotine pouches are mainly used by men, 78 %.

Read more about how to use nicotine pouches.

What Are the Types of Nicotine Pouches?

Nicotine pouches are divided into categories based on:

• nicotine content: 0 – 60 mg/g 
• flavor: fruity, minty, spicy, tobacco, tasteless
• size: mini, super slim, slim and large

Best nicotine pouches are available on Snusboss.com.

Read more about the best nicotine pouches.

What are the benefits of Nicotine Pouches?

Benefits of nicotine pouches are that they contain nicotine that is a drug both stimulant and anxiolytic (antipanic or anti-anxiety agent). It means that nicotine makes the person more alert and relieves anxiety at the same time.  Some medical uses of nicotine are to help with Tourette’s Syndrome as stated in the medical study (2005) by Novak. There has been much research about using nicotine in different therapies to relieve or cure illnesses in some cases. Nicotine pouches are one of the safest ways for consuming nicotine due to it being smokeless and tobacco free. Nicotine is an addictive drug and its use is not recommended.

Read more about the benefits of using nicotine pouch.

Are Nicotine Pouches Used to give up Smoking Cigarettes?

Yes, nicotine pouches are useful for quitting smoking cigarettes. Nicotine pouches contain nicotine to give you both the stimulative and sedative effect without the harmful effect of smoking tobacco. You can use nicotine pouches everywhere so you do not have to spend time in the smoking corner with smokers, that may lead to relapse of smoking cigarettes.

Read more about nicotine withdrawal.

Does a Nicotine Pouch Have a Smell?

Yes, some nicotine pouches have a smell depending on their flavoring. Minty nicotine pouches have a minty smell, while fruity nicotine pouches have a fruity smell. Nicotine pouches have a pleasant scent, not the unpleasant smell of smoking tobacco.

How Long Does Nicotine Stay in The Body?

Nicotine stays in your body for 1 to 3 days after you stop using nicotine products. Nicotine will not be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping the usage of nicotine products. (WebMD,2022)

Is nicotine Bad for You?

Yes, nicotine is bad for you. Nicotine is an addictive drug that raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline (John Hopkins Medicine, n.d).

Is nicotine a Drug?

Yes, nicotine is a drug. A drug is a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. Nicotine is both a stimulant and a relaxing drug that has physiological effects on  the body.

How Much Nicotine Is in A Cigarette?

There is 8 – 20 mg of nicotine found in a cigarette (1 mg is absorbed). The average nicotine content in a cigarette is 12 mg (Nicotinell, n.d).

Read more about nicotine pouch vs smoking.

What Does Nicotine Do to Your Body?

Nicotine is a stimulating drug that speeds up the signals from the brain to the body, it increases the heart rate and the amount of oxygen that the heart consumes.  Nicotine is also a relaxing drug that causes the feeling of well-being. Nicotine is anxiolytic that means it reduces anxiety, which is often caused by stress. Most anxiolytics block the activities of certain chemicals in the nervous system. When using nicotine repeatedly results can be: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, reduction of body weight, enhancement of performance, protection against: Parkinson’s, Tourette’s and Alzheimer’s disease, defense against ulcerative colitis and sleep apnea, increase in blood pressure, flow of blood to the heart, heart rate and a narrowing of the arteries.

Does Vaping Have Different Effects than Taking a Nicotine Pouch?

Yes, vaping has a different effect than taking a nicotine pouch. Vaping can cause dry mouth but using nicotine pouch does not cause that. Nicotine pouches are smoke free but with vapes you need to inhale smoke that damages your lungs.

Read more about nicotine pouch vs vaping.

Does Nicotine Patch Have Different Effects than Taking Nicotine Pouches?

Yes, nicotine patch has different effects than taking nicotine pouch. Nicotine patch takes up to 8 hours to start to work, delivers nicotine for several hours. Nicotine pouches start working in the first few minutes, delivering nicotine for up to an hour. Nicotine patches need a clean skin where to be placed for hours and can cause skin irritation. Nicotine pouches are placed in the mouth between the upper lip and gum for up to one hour. Nicotine pouches have a larger variety of different strengths and also come in different flavors. Snusboss has the best selection of nicotine pouches with sale prices.

Are using nicotine pouches harmful to the heart?

No, nicotine pouches are not harmful to the heart when you are healthy (British Heart Foundation, 2019). Nicotine pouches raise heart rate so they are dangerous to people who have preexisting heart problems.

Do nicotine pouches cause cancer when used?

No, nicotine pouches do not cause cancer. Smoking tobacco is directly linked with causing cancer. Replacing smoking with nicotine pouches is the healthier choice.