From Alp to Zyn: The ABCs on the Rise of Nicotine Pouches

In response to the rising popularity of the newest nicotine product on the market, the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i (CTFH) has compiled a comprehensive list of nicotine pouches to grasp the scale of the next Big Tobacco-led craze. Nicotine pouches are small packets filled with powdered nicotine, derived from either tobacco or synthetic sources, and are placed between the lip and gum for discreet, smoke-free absorption.

While the tobacco industry continues to downplay any health risks associated with nicotine pouches, these products are not approved for cessation purposes and studies are showing they are not harmless. Nicotine pouches carry real health risks, including severe addiction, gum damage, and heart stress, even though they may be “tobacco-free.”

The list tracks each brand’s name, manufacturer, nicotine type (synthetic or plant-based), available strengths, flavors (both number of flavors and their names), websites, and social media handles. So far, over 200 brands have been identified. Common nicotine strengths range from 3 mg to 15 mg per pouch, with some reaching as high as 50 mg. And while a few brands offer tobacco or unflavored options, nearly all lean heavily on mint and fruit flavors, both highly appealing to youth.

For Big Tobacco and the many companies now entering the nicotine industry, pouches are the latest opportunity to capitalize on addiction. They rely on the same tactics Big Tobacco has perfected over decades, including marketing that integrates nicotine use into an “optimal” lifestyle, flavors and packaging designed to attract youth, and high, often misleading nicotine content. Those tactics are working, as the global nicotine pouch market is projected to exceed $25 billion by 2028.

Given these conditions, it’s vital that prevention efforts begin now, before nicotine pouches become too deeply embedded in our communities. CTFH’s list will serve as an ongoing resource, updated continually as new brands enter the market and more data becomes available. It has already been shared with coalition members, including the Nicotine Pouch Workgroup started by Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i Island, and will remain a talking point in every relevant advocacy opportunity.

Although nicotine pouches are new, the playbook behind them is not. If we don’t act to prevent them from taking hold in our communities today, we will undoubtedly pay the price tomorrow. To get involved in the effort or learn more about the list, contact O‘ahu Community Coordinator Kayla Bajo at kaylabajo@hiphi.org.