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Free nicotine (%) by pH levels for 37 nicotine pouch products by brand. All the pouch products were found to have pH levels ranging from pH 6.86 to 10.1, which translates to 7.7%-99.2% of nicotine in the free nicotine form.
Source publication
Introduction
Nicotine pouch products, oral smokeless products that contain nicotine but no tobacco leaf material, have recently entered the US marketplace. Available data indicate sales of these products in the United States have increased since 2018; however, the extent of use among US youth and adults is uncertain.
Methods
To assay the chemistry...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... Rogue brands had the highest value (599 [584-645] mg), followed by White Fox (448 mg), LYFT (409 mg), ZYN (331 mg), and ON! (317 [305][306][307][308][309][310][311][312][313][314][315][316][317][318][319][320][321][322][323] mg). Unlike the other products with different dose levels, the 4-mg Velo pouches (348 mg) had 222% greater mass than the 2-mg Velo pouches (157 [149][150][151][152][153][154][155][156][157][158][159][160][161][162][163] mg); this difference is indicated by arrows in Figure 2. ...
Context 2
... all the pouch products, pH levels ranged from pH 6.94 to 10.1, which translates to 7.7%-99.2% of nicotine in the free nicotine form, respectively (Figure 2). The 2-and 4-mg Velo pouches had pH values ranging from pH 7.26 (SE = 0.04) and pH 7.39 (SE = 0.04) that corresponds to 14.8% and 19.0% free nicotine, respectively (Table 1). ...
Citations
... These results are in contrast with the very recent report on 6-NM containing e-liquids where only 12%-13% of the claimed amount of 6-MN was found [28]. However, another recent study on e-liquids sold in Australia demonstrated that quantities ranging from 2.9 to 100 mg/mL 6-MN were found, corresponding to 6.8%-100% of the labeled amount, illustrating a large diversity in label accuracy [36]. ...
A new nicotine delivery system in the form of tobacco‐free nicotine pouches was introduced in Europe in 2019. These nicotine bags did not fall under the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) II, which brought forward regulatory requirements for both cigarettes, related products, and e‐liquids. As these pouches did not fall under the scope of the TPD, it was up to the member states to decide which action to be taken if any. Some EU member states banned these nicotine pouches, while others put restrictions on the amount of nicotine, warning messages, and presentation and packaging of the product, and some member states did not take any action. Likely as a result of the ban or restrictions, soon after also, tobacco and nicotine‐free pouches became available in the European Union (EU). Early 2024, “NoNIC” pouches, claiming to be tobacco‐ and nicotine‐free, became available on the European market. These pouches are promoted online and clearly target a younger population with a youth‐appealing package design and enticing flavors. Upon analysis of different samples utilizing gas chromatography coupled to MS (GC–MS), liquid chromatography coupled to high‐resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRAM LC–MS2), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), it was demonstrated that these pouches were indeed devoid of nicotine but contained the synthetic nicotine homolog 6‐methyl nicotine (6‐MN) and this up to 20 mg per pouch. Nonetheless, a part of a likely unaware/misled young adult subpopulation has easy access to these products, containing a novel molecule for which limited to no clinical effects are known.
... ONPs contain a wide range of nicotine doses, with some as low as 1-2 mg per pouch and others as high as 10 mg or greater (Mallock et al., 2024). The nicotine found in ONPs may be protonated or unprotonated (i.e., "free" nicotine) and may be tobacco-derived or synthetically made (Shaikh et al., 2023;Stanfill et al., 2021). Nicotine can exist in two chemical states, or stereoisomers, known as S-and R-nicotine; ONPs that include tobacco-derived nicotine generally only contain S-nicotine (naturally occurring chemical state in the tobacco plant), but ONPs with synthetic nicotine may also contain R-nicotine (Keller-Hamilton et al., 2024;Zhang et al., 2018). ...
... Several studies have chemically characterized the contents of ONPs using analytical testing (Azzopardi, Liu, et al., 2022;Back et al., 2023;Jabba et al., 2023;Mallock-Ohnesorg et al., 2023;Stanfill et al., 2021). Common targets of analysis in these studies have included nicotine (both the R and S isomer and protonated and unprotonated forms), flavorants, and various other ONP constituents. ...
... Common targets of analysis in these studies have included nicotine (both the R and S isomer and protonated and unprotonated forms), flavorants, and various other ONP constituents. Generally, there is considerable variability in the chemical composition profile of ONPs (Mallock et al., 2024;Mallock-Ohnesorg et al., 2023;Stanfill et al., 2021). For example, one study analyzed 37 distinct ONP brands across six manufacturers and found wide ranges in nicotine concentrations (total nicotine content: 1.29-6.11 ...
Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) are an emergent class of tobacco products that, unlike conventional oral smokeless tobacco products, contain a nicotine powder instead of tobacco leaves. This review synthesizes available data on ONPs in key research domains including survey studies, marketing/advertising studies, chemical characterization and in vitro studies, and clinical studies. Research findings relevant for ONP regulations are summarized, including who uses these products and why, how marketing tactics influence appeal and use intentions, what harmful and potentially harmful constituents they contain, and what acute effects they have on humans. Taken together, the current data suggest that ONPs likely produce less harm to individual users than conventional tobacco products (e.g., moist snuff, cigarettes) and can acutely suppress nicotine/tobacco withdrawal symptoms among current cigarette smokers. Thus, ONPs may be a viable harm reduction option for individuals who switch completely to using them from conventional products. However, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine if established tobacco users would use ONPs long term, and more independent academic research is needed given that most ONP studies to date are tobacco industry-funded. Additionally, ONPs have qualities (e.g., flavors, marketing claims of “tobacco free”) that could increase appeal among youth and young adults, and these products can deliver nicotine at levels sufficient to cause dependence; widespread adoption of ONPs among otherwise nicotine-naive individuals may reduce their net public health benefit. This review concludes by suggesting future research directions necessary to increase scientific understanding of ONPs and inform regulations for these increasingly popular products.
... As a result, physicochemical properties such as powder particle size, pH, and moisture differ depending on the formulation which may impact nicotine extraction and buccal absorption into the blood stream. Beyond the relationship between nicotine content and nicotine release (Aldeek et al. 2021;Stanfill et al. 2021;McEwan et al. 2022), the impact of other physicochemical properties on blood nicotine delivery from oral nicotine products remains incompletely understood (Pickworth et al. 2014). Therefore, the nicotine PK profile of one NP brand may not be generalizable to other NPs with different formulations and different physicochemical properties and so further scientific data is required to close this knowledge gap. ...
Rationale
Given the nascency of tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches (NPs) and the heterogeneity of commercially available NP brands, there is a need for scientific evaluation of different NP formulations. Nordic Spirit, novel NPs are distinguished by their unique composition.
Objectives
To characterize blood nicotine delivery, pharmacokinetics (PK), subjective and physiological effects and to monitor safety of three Nordic Spirit NPs (6 mg, 9 mg and 11.2 mg/pouch) compared with LD tobacco snus (11.2 mg/pouch) and Nicorette® gum (4 mg/unit) following single 30 min use.
Methods
This was a randomized, open-label, ten-sequence, single-use, cross-over clinical study with 30 healthy adult Swedish snus users.
Results
Peak nicotine concentrations (Cmax) ranged from 10.92 to 17.32 ng/mL for the three Nordic Spirit NPs, with a trend toward dose proportionality, and 8.18 ng/mL and 9.23 ng/mL for the LD snus and Nicorette® gum comparators, respectively. Peak concentration for Nordic Spirit NPs was reached (Tmax) after 30 to 38 min, and after 45 min for LD snus and Nicorette® gum. No notable safety concerns were observed after single use for any of the study products.
Conclusions
Delivery of nicotine from the three Nordic Spirit NPs appeared to be nicotine content-dependent, based on Cmax and AUC. The amount of nicotine extracted showed positive correlation with the reported Cmax and AUC. For Nordic Spirit NPs, Tmax was immediately after end of use. The characteristics of Nordic Spirit NPs were found to be favourable for profiling NP nicotine delivery and safety in human use, and for further product development.
ISRCTN registry study no. ISRCTN75583947.
... 6 18 Previous research conducted in our laboratory focused on analysing nicotine pouches, specifically. 24 The present study outlined here broadens this scope by encompassing additional types of TFN products (lozenges, chewing gum, loose leaf and toothpicks), alongside various brands of nicotine pouches. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of 70 novel TFN products from different brands, nicotine strengths, flavour choices and delivery methods, covering parameters such as per cent moisture content, product weight, total nicotine content, pH and unprotonated (freebase) nicotine content. ...
... 40 These findings also align with recent published data on the pH levels of nicotine pouch products (pH 6.86-10.1) as reported by Stanfill et al. 24 Nicotine pouches are unique products with a wide range of nicotine levels in both protonated and unprotonated forms. 9 24 By using higher levels of nicotine salt and adjusting pH levels, manufacturers can produce products with varying nicotine levels and increased freebase nicotine. ...
Significance
Nicotine-containing products, labelled as being ‘tobacco-free’ nicotine (TFN), are marketed to consumers as alternatives to conventional tobacco products. Little is known about these emerging products and their contents.
Methods
Moisture, total nicotine and pH content were analysed in 70 commercially available TFN products, covering five different types (lozenges, chewing gum, loose leaf, toothpicks and pouches). The freebase nicotine was calculated using the measured pH values.
Results
Total nicotine levels ranged from 0.822 to 31.5 mg/g. Nicotine levels were highest in nicotine pouches (1.41–8.11 mg/product) and lowest in toothpicks (1.19–1.57 mg/product). Nicotine levels in TFN loose leaf (1.26–9.16 mg/g) were comparable to conventional moist snuff. The pH ranged from pH 4.68 to 9.49 and per cent freebase nicotine ranged from 0.0453% to 96.7%. The freebase nicotine content was highest in nicotine pouches (2.15–16.8 mg/g) and lowest in lozenges (0.0004–0.349 mg/g). The majority of TFN products (91.4%) analysed were advertised to contain flavour components.
Conclusion
Overall, products advertised as higher strength were found to have higher nicotine content than products advertised as lower strength. The measured total nicotine content was either equal to or less than the level stated on the label, except for one product. Although TFN products may not contain tobacco lamina and may lack many harmful chemicals and carcinogens found in conventional smokeless products, freebase nicotine levels in the pouch products are elevated and could contribute to higher levels of addiction and other negative health effects.
... 16 Yet, a survey of 2464 young adults found that most misunderstood what "tobacco-free nicotine" means, shedding light on this confusing marketing tactic. 17 Although TFN pouches contain a similar nicotine content to tobaccoderived nicotine, 18 their use is perceived as less harmful than tobacco-derived nicotine products, and many view these TFN pouches as "cleaner" and associate them with "high class." 15,[19][20][21] Although perceived as a healthier alternative to tobacco, studies have found that those who use both TFN pouches use them in addition to other tobacco products. ...
Objective
Nicotine‐containing products have historically been tobacco derivatives like cigarettes, cigars, and dip. Recently, tobacco‐free nicotine (TFN) products have been marketed as a healthy alternative. TFN pouches are small, discreet, flavored pouches containing nicotine designed to be placed between the gum and lip. This product does not fit a conventional tobacco category, leading to inaccurate reporting. This study aims to investigate discrepancies in physician documentation of TFN pouches.
Methods
A retrospective chart review was conducted on TFN users.
Setting
Single Health Care System.
Methods
Statistical analyses assessed TFN documentation concordance between social history templates and physician notes.
Results
There were 150 patients who used TFN and 841 patients who vaped. Concordance was higher for vape documentation than TFN pouch documentation (55.9%, 470/841 vs 25.3%, 38/150; P < .001). Of those who used TFN, 60% (90/150) were classified as “Smokeless Tobacco Users” in the social history; however, 35 were inaccurately classified as chew, and 17 did not specify TFN use. Only 38 specified TFN use; only 25% (38/150) of records demonstrated concordance.
Conclusion
Only 25% of records were concordant with physician notes, highlighting the need for a designated place for TFN use within social history templates. Nicotine use history is crucial in the setting of microvascular reconstruction and cosmetic surgeries. Thus, accurate reporting is crucial for future research on the long‐term effects of TFN. This study's findings underscore a deficit in current social history templates and the need to recognize TFN pouches as distinct entities.
... The greater the pH, the greater the ability of nicotine to be absorbed through the oral mucosa [63,64]. Therefore, if the pH of sachets is near pH 10, nicotine can be transformed into almost 99% freebase nicotine, which is more bioavailable and can cross the oral mucosa faster and more rapidly, increasing the amount of nicotine in the bloodstream [65]. Some users believe that smokeless tobacco is less harmful than cigarettes because it is smoke-free [66]. ...
Oral nicotine pouches are the latest products in the tobacco industry. They are manufactured by large tobacco companies and entice tobacco or nicotine addicts, although the products are presented as a ‘harmless choice.’ Nevertheless, dentists and oral health specialists worry about oral mucosal changes due to product interactions with the oral mucosa. Unfortunately, there are no case reports of oral mucosal changes from nicotine pouches that are also investigated histopathologically. The aim of the present study was to visually and histopathologically investigate oral mucosal changes in nicotine pouch users. An online retrospective survey regarding medical and dental health, dietary habits, and tobacco consumption habits was conducted (n = 50). Respondents were selected for further intraoral and histopathological investigation based on the inclusion criteria. All five respondents had oral lesions that were histopathologically analyzed. Visually, the lesions varied in form and intensity, but all appeared white at the location where the pouches were placed. Histopathological analyses revealed parakeratosis with acanthotic epithelium, intraepithelial and connective tissue oedema, and chronic inflammatory infiltration with lymphocytes and macrophages. Participants received information about nicotine cessation and oral health recommendations. In conclusion, nicotine pouches significantly impacted oral mucosa with white lesions that revealed important changes at the cellular level.
... Unlike some snus products, nicotine pouches do not require spitting during use 5,10 . The total nicotine dose in nicotine pouches ranges usually from 2 to 20 mg per pouch, and is comparable to that of popular snus products 11 . They are sold in a range of flavors, including tobacco, menthol, mint, fruity, coffee, and spices 5,12 . ...
Introduction:
Nicotine pouches are a new type of nicotine-containing product that have been marketed in many countries worldwide, generating growing acceptance among consumers. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with public awareness and use of nicotine pouches among adults in Poland.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1080 adults in Poland (February 2024). Awareness of nicotine pouches, history of use, current (past 30-day) use of nicotine pouches, as well as perception of harm was assessed using a purpose-designed questionnaire.
Results:
Awareness of nicotine pouches was reported by 24% of the sample, while 9.2% reported ever having used a nicotine pouch product, and 4.3% using a nicotine pouch in the past 30 days. Among all respondents, 60.7% perceived nicotine pouches as harmful as combustible cigarettes, 28.2% perceived nicotine pouches as less harmful, and 11% as more harmful than combustible cigarettes. In multivariable logistic regression model, women (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=1.40; 95% CI: 1.03–1.91; p<0.05), individuals aged <60 years (p<0.05), current tobacco smokers (AOR=2.59; 95% CI: 1.75–3.82; p<0.001), former tobacco smokers (AOR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.01–2.32; p<0.05) and ever users of e-cigarette or heated tobacco (AOR=2.90; 95% CI: 2.07–4.05; p<0.001) were more likely to declare that had ever heard of nicotine pouches. Moreover, individuals aged <60 years (p<0.05), occupationally active individuals (AOR=1.82; 95% CI: 1.01–3.31; p<0.05), current tobacco smokers (AOR=2.71; 95% CI: 1.48–4.97; p<0.01), and ever users of e-cigarette or heated tobacco (AOR=5.29; 95% CI: 2.96–9.44; p<0.001) were more likely to declare ever use of nicotine pouches.
Conclusions:
This study provides the first national data on public awareness and use (ever and current) of nicotine pouches in Poland. Young adults, current smokers, and ever e-cigarette and heated tobacco users are at higher risk of ever use of nicotine pouches, so policy interventions are needed to protect young people from nicotine pouch marketing and nicotine initiation.
... The percentage of total nicotine available as free nicotine (% free nicotine) is calculated by substituting the appropriate pKa value for nicotine and the pH of each product into the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and then multiplying by 100 [17]. The percentage free nicotine value refers to the fraction of nicotine in the freebase form. ...
... The percentage free nicotine value refers to the fraction of nicotine in the freebase form. At pH 8.02, 50% of nicotine is in the protonated form and 50% in the un-protonated form [17]. ...
The use of smokeless tobacco has increased, particularly among Ghana's youth, due in part to perceived medicinal benefits and the belief that it is less harmful and non-addictive. In response to this trend, we systematically classified 51 different tobacco products based on their potential toxicity as determined by potentially toxic elements, addiction potential, and nicotine delivery capability. Moisture, pH, and percentage-free base nicotine were measured using certified methods. X-ray fluorescence techniques were used to determine tobacco products' concentrations of target elements (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Rb, Sr, Mo, V, S, U, Zr, Tl, and Zn). Locally produced snuff products had the highest nicotine delivery capacity, with a pH of 9.73 and 96.98% freebase nicotine. Dried tobacco leaves followed closely, with a mean pH of 7.39 and percentage free base nicotine of 25.93%, whereas cigarette products had the lowest nicotine delivery capability (mean pH: 5.49; percentage free base nicotine: 0.33%). In the snuff category, menthol-flavored products delivered more nicotine (pH of 9.96; percentage free base nicotine of 98.8%) than moringa-flavored alternatives (pH of 9.77; percentage free base nicotine of 98%). Users of the smuggled cigarette product C6 were found to be susceptible to increased non-carcinogenic health effects, as indicated by a hazard index (HI) value of 1108.35, while C4, with the highest pH of 5.58 and a corresponding %A (addiction potential) of 0.70, demonstrated the greatest addiction potential among the examined cigarette products. Our findings indicate that locally produced snuff and dried tobacco leaves have potentially high addictive properties, emphasizing the risk of tobacco dependence. Furthermore, these products may have non-carcinogenic health effects, as indicated by elevated hazard quotients and hazard indices. These findings provide important insights into the various characteristics of tobacco products in Ghana, which may aid in developing targeted public health interventions.
... Obecnie większość firm tytoniowych prowadzi dystrybucję TFNP, w tym popularne marki takie jak Zyn, Velo i Nordic Spirit [17]. [19,20]. Na rynku brytyjskim pojawiły się w 2019 roku, a w okresie od listopada 2020 do października 2021 roku odnotowano dwukrotny wzrost częstości korzystania z TFNP wśród dorosłych -z poziomu 0,14% do 0,32% (współczynnik rozpowszechnienia PR 2,22; 95% CI 1,33-3,70), przy czym mężczyźni czterokrotnie częściej niż kobiety stosowali woreczki (częstość występowania 0,42% vs 0,09%), rzadsze użycie zaobserwowano w starszych grupach wiekowych (p < 0,001). ...
... Tobacco products contain the addictive compound nicotine and some other toxic compounds [1]. Tobacco products include combustible products like cigarettes, hookahs and cigars, etc. Non-combustible products include dry snuff, moist snuff, and snus, and Electronic cigarettes [2][3][4]. These tobacco products are considered the major cause of some serious human diseases. ...
... For example, smoking causes lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease and many other serious diseases [4]. These harmful diseases are not only caused by nicotine but also B Yasir Jamil yasirjamil@yahoo.com 1 Laser Spectroscopy Lab, Department of Physics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38090, Pakistan 2 Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China 3 Advanced Nanomaterials and Devices Lab, Department of Physics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38090, Pakistan by the presence of several chemical constituents in cigarettes [2,5]. ...
... For example, smoking causes lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease and many other serious diseases [4]. These harmful diseases are not only caused by nicotine but also B Yasir Jamil yasirjamil@yahoo.com 1 Laser Spectroscopy Lab, Department of Physics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38090, Pakistan 2 Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China 3 Advanced Nanomaterials and Devices Lab, Department of Physics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38090, Pakistan by the presence of several chemical constituents in cigarettes [2,5]. ...
The elemental analysis and classification of nicotine pouches using machine learning assisted Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is reported for the very first time. Nicotine pouches are widely recognized as non-tobacco products. These pouches have become popular among individuals. LIBS analysis has identified many elements present in the pouches such as Aluminium, Barium, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Sodium, Scandium, Strontium, and Titanium. Twenty-nine machine-learning classification models from the classification learner app were utilized to classify the nicotine pouches. In the context of classification, our analysis was focused on two separate classes. In 1st Class, the flavors remain the same while the nicotine strength changes. Contrarily, in 2nd Class, flavors change while the nicotine strength remains the same. The application of supervised machine learning classification techniques yielded noteworthy outcomes. In 1st Class, the highest test accuracy achieved was 98%, while in 2nd Class, a multitude of models achieved a remarkable 100% test accuracy, emphasizing the precision achieved in this configuration. This shows machine learning models are really good in classification based on flavors of nicotine pouches as well as on nicotine strength.
