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Fox News
18-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Nicotine pouches pose alarming danger in US households, experts warn
Nicotine pouches present a heightened danger to children, according to a recent study from the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio. The pouches contain a dissolving powder made of nicotine and flavorings that gets absorbed through the gums and lining of the mouth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The research, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that there were 134,663 reported cases of ingestion of pouches, vapes and other nicotine products among children between 2010 and 2023. Researchers analyzed calls to the National Poison Data System related to accidental nicotine ingestions among children younger than 6 years old. Ingestion of the pouches soared by 763% from 2020 to 2023, as they were up to twice as likely to result in serious medical outcomes than other nicotine products, such as gum/lozenges, liquids, powder/granules and tablets/capsules/caplets. Gary Smith, M.D., director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at NCH, told Fox News Digital that nicotine pouches were not tracked in national poison center data until 2020. "However, between 2020 and 2023 (the most recent year of data from the study), the rate of unintentional ingestion of nicotine pouches by young children increased at a fast rate — even as ingestion rates for other formulations of nicotine declined," he said. The study found a 59% increase in nicotine ingestions between 2010 and 2015, which was primarily driven by liquid and solid nicotine products. From 2015 to 2023, liquid nicotine ingestion dropped by 45%, leading to a 34% reduction in overall nicotine ingestion incidents. The study had several limitations, Smith shared, one being that the National Poison Data System is a "passive surveillance system and therefore underestimates the true number of nicotine ingestions among U.S. children younger than 6 years old." "Because data are self-reported, they cannot be completely verified by poison centers," he added. Smith also pointed out that the study did not analyze nicotine dosage, and that there is the possibility of "miscategorization of data and missing data." Smith noted that the overall decline in nicotine ingestion could be linked to the passage of federal and state legislation. In 2015, Congress passed the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, which made it a law for liquid nicotine packaging to be child-resistant. "This suggests that legislation can make a difference," Smith said. There are opportunities for further improvement in terms of passing preventative laws, the researcher noted. "Many nicotine products are flavored and sold in colorful packaging that may be attractive to a young child," he cautioned. "Banning flavors in all nicotine products would help reduce unintentional ingestions by young children as well as discourage use among teens." Given that nicotine pouches present a "serious and growing toxic ingestion hazard" among young children, Smith calls for ongoing surveillance and prevention efforts. "Many nicotine products are flavored and sold in colorful packaging that may be attractive to a young child." The effects of nicotine toxicity include nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, fast heart rate, seizures, trouble breathing, coma and death, he told Fox News Digital. For more Health articles, visit Parents who suspect that a child has ingested a nicotine pouch should call the national Poison Help number at 1-800-222-1222, Smith advised. "The safest choice is to keep all nicotine products out of the home," he said. Otherwise, they should be stored safely and out of reach.
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
As nicotine pouches' popularity soars, they're also responsible for more poisonings in young kids, study finds
A new study found that children's accidental nicotine ingestion from nicotine pouches rose more than 760% between 2020 and 2023. (via CNN Newsource) Nicotine pouches are a fast-growing source of nicotine poisoning in young children, according to a new study. Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio analyzed more than a decade's worth of data, examining over 134,000 cases of children under 6 who accidentally ingested nicotine through products like vapes, gums, and lozenges. Most types of exposures fell after 2016. But one delivery method — nicotine pouches — shot up, rising more than 760% between 2020 and 2023. 'It's a high-concentration nicotine product, and it tastes good,' said Dr. Natalie Rine, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital and co-author of the study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. 'There's nothing telling the kid, 'this is bad, you should spit it out' … and that's where you get into trouble.' The miniature white packets that users tuck between their lip and gum hit US shelves in 2014. They don't contain tobacco but are instead filled with nicotine, either synthetically or naturally derived, along with flavorings and sweeteners. The discreet, sweet and smokeless nature of nicotine pouches has raised concerns among public health advocates, who are closely watching their rising popularity among teens and young adults. They've become the second most-used nicotine product among young people, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Youth Tobacco Survey found that nicotine pouch use among teens doubled between 2021 and 2024. Still, the overall user base remains small. Just 0.5% of Americans use nicotine pouches, compared with 9% who smoke cigarettes and 3% who vape or use e-cigarettes, according to US Census Bureau data. Levels of nicotine in pouches can vary from 3 to 12 milligrams per pouch. At their lowest doses, they deliver more of the stimulant than a cigarette, and even small amounts of nicotine can be dangerous for small children. Ingesting just 1 to 2 milligrams — less than what's inside a single regular-strength pouch — can cause nausea, vomiting and tremors, among other serious symptoms, according to the National Library of Medicine. The study found that nicotine pouches were associated with a 150% greater risk of serious medical effects and were twice as likely to lead to hospitalization than other smokeless nicotine products swallowed by children, like gums, lozenges, e-liquids, tablets and powders. Although the vast majority of pediatric nicotine ingestions resulted in little to no harm, more than 1,600 children had serious medical outcomes, the study found. Two children died after ingesting liquid nicotine. Rine recommends that parents avoid using nicotine pouches in front of children to keep them from imitating potentially risky adult behaviors. She also suggests keeping nicotine products physically out of kids' reach and to have conversations with other caretakers, like babysitters and extended family, about doing the same. If a child may have ingested a nicotine pouch, Rine says, the best first step is to call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Trained staff can guide caregivers based on a child's symptoms and help them decide if emergency care is needed. Jeffrey Kopp, CNN
CNN
14-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
As nicotine pouches' popularity soars, they're also responsible for more poisonings in young kids, study finds
Children's healthFacebookTweetLink Follow Nicotine pouches are a fast-growing source of nicotine poisoning in young children, according to a new study. Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio analyzed more than a decade's worth of data, examining over 134,000 cases of children under 6 who accidentally ingested nicotine through products like vapes, gums, and lozenges. Most types of exposures fell after 2016. But one delivery method — nicotine pouches — shot up, rising more than 760% between 2020 and 2023. 'It's a high-concentration nicotine product, and it tastes good,' said Dr. Natalie Rine, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital and co-author of the study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. 'There's nothing telling the kid, 'this is bad, you should spit it out' … and that's where you get into trouble.' The miniature white packets that users tuck between their lip and gum hit US shelves in 2014. They don't contain tobacco but are instead filled with nicotine, either synthetically or naturally derived, along with flavorings and sweeteners. The discreet, sweet and smokeless nature of nicotine pouches has raised concerns among public health advocates, who are closely watching their rising popularity among teens and young adults. They've become the second most-used nicotine product among young people, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Youth Tobacco Survey found that nicotine pouch use among teens doubled between 2021 and 2024. Still, the overall user base remains small. Just 0.5% of Americans use nicotine pouches, compared with 9% who smoke cigarettes and 3% who vape or use e-cigarettes, according to US Census Bureau data. Levels of nicotine in pouches can vary from 3 to 12 milligrams per pouch. At their lowest doses, they deliver more of the stimulant than a cigarette, and even small amounts of nicotine can be dangerous for small children. Ingesting just 1 to 2 milligrams — less than what's inside a single regular-strength pouch — can cause nausea, vomiting and tremors, among other serious symptoms, according to the National Library of Medicine. The study found that nicotine pouches were associated with a 150% greater risk of serious medical effects and were twice as likely to lead to hospitalization than other smokeless nicotine products swallowed by children, like gums, lozenges, e-liquids, tablets and powders. Although the vast majority of pediatric nicotine ingestions resulted in little to no harm, more than 1,600 children had serious medical outcomes, the study found. Two children died after ingesting liquid nicotine. Rine recommends that parents avoid using nicotine pouches in front of children to keep them from imitating potentially risky adult behaviors. She also suggests keeping nicotine products physically out of kids' reach and to have conversations with other caretakers, like babysitters and extended family, about doing the same. If a child may have ingested a nicotine pouch, Rine says, the best first step is to call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Trained staff can guide caregivers based on a child's symptoms and help them decide if emergency care is needed.
CNN
14-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
As nicotine pouches' popularity soars, they're also responsible for more poisonings in young kids, study finds
Nicotine pouches are a fast-growing source of nicotine poisoning in young children, according to a new study. Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio analyzed more than a decade's worth of data, examining over 134,000 cases of children under 6 who accidentally ingested nicotine through products like vapes, gums, and lozenges. Most types of exposures fell after 2016. But one delivery method — nicotine pouches — shot up, rising more than 760% between 2020 and 2023. 'It's a high-concentration nicotine product, and it tastes good,' said Dr. Natalie Rine, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital and co-author of the study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. 'There's nothing telling the kid, 'this is bad, you should spit it out' … and that's where you get into trouble.' The miniature white packets that users tuck between their lip and gum hit US shelves in 2014. They don't contain tobacco but are instead filled with nicotine, either synthetically or naturally derived, along with flavorings and sweeteners. The discreet, sweet and smokeless nature of nicotine pouches has raised concerns among public health advocates, who are closely watching their rising popularity among teens and young adults. They've become the second most-used nicotine product among young people, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Youth Tobacco Survey found that nicotine pouch use among teens doubled between 2021 and 2024. Still, the overall user base remains small. Just 0.5% of Americans use nicotine pouches, compared with 9% who smoke cigarettes and 3% who vape or use e-cigarettes, according to US Census Bureau data. Levels of nicotine in pouches can vary from 3 to 12 milligrams per pouch. At their lowest doses, they deliver more of the stimulant than a cigarette, and even small amounts of nicotine can be dangerous for small children. Ingesting just 1 to 2 milligrams — less than what's inside a single regular-strength pouch — can cause nausea, vomiting and tremors, among other serious symptoms, according to the National Library of Medicine. The study found that nicotine pouches were associated with a 150% greater risk of serious medical effects and were twice as likely to lead to hospitalization than other smokeless nicotine products swallowed by children, like gums, lozenges, e-liquids, tablets and powders. Although the vast majority of pediatric nicotine ingestions resulted in little to no harm, more than 1,600 children had serious medical outcomes, the study found. Two children died after ingesting liquid nicotine. Rine recommends that parents avoid using nicotine pouches in front of children to keep them from imitating potentially risky adult behaviors. She also suggests keeping nicotine products physically out of kids' reach and to have conversations with other caretakers, like babysitters and extended family, about doing the same. If a child may have ingested a nicotine pouch, Rine says, the best first step is to call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Trained staff can guide caregivers based on a child's symptoms and help them decide if emergency care is needed.
