Latest news with #NicotinePouches
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.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Addictive nicotine pouches can legally be sold to children in shops
Nicotine pouches with eye-catching packaging and sweet flavours are available for children to buy because the product falls between regulatory gaps, Trading Standards has warned. No law in place currently restricts the age of sale for nicotine pouches, meaning a child could enter a shop and be sold these addictive products, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has said. Nicotine pouches are small sachets designed to be placed between the upper lip and gums. Unlike other products, such as snus, these pouches do not contain tobacco and just release nicotine slowly. Just like vapes, they come in flavours including mango, berry and cherry ice. Pouches can contain between 1.5mg and 20mg of nicotine, similar to a vape, but they are not regulated as a specific tobacco or nicotine product. Data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) published last month revealed that in 2024, just 38 per cent of 11- to 17-year-olds knew what a nicotine pouch was. Now that figure has shot up to 43 per cent. While only 4 per cent of 11- to 17-year-olds use nicotine pouches, the watchdog fears this will increase without an age restriction on the product. The warning comes as trading standards visits businesses to ensure they are no longer selling single-use vapes, which are now illegal to supply in the UK. During visits, Trading Standards has seen nicotine pouches displayed in plain sight at the front of the check-out areas in stores, sparking concern over the rise in popularity of these products among school-aged children. The watchdog warns that this nicotine product is discreet and could easily go undetected by teachers and parents. 'It very much feels like a game of whack-a-mole - just as one product is dealt with, another emerges - the availability of potentially harmful products being promoted and sold to our children seems never-ending,' said Duncan Stephenson, policy and external affairs director at CTSI. 'Nicotine pouches are the latest example, with slick marketing, sweet flavours and colourful packaging that risk appealing to young people, whether intended or not,' he added. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and in high doses it can cause headaches, a racing heart, nausea and stomach cramps. 'While they are likely to be very much less harmful than smoking, they contain nicotine which is addictive, and the long-term health impacts are not known,' said Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive at ASH. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently making its way through parliament, makes the sale of these nicotine products illegal to anyone under the age of 18. It will also introduce powers to restrict the use of child-appealing flavours, packaging and advertising, as well as dictate where they can be placed in shops. 'Strong, proactive regulation is essential to protect children and stop these products from slipping through the cracks,' Mr Stephenson added. Trading Standards is calling for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to be moved up the parliamentary timetable to ensure a swift implementation. It wants nicotine pouches out of the reach of children and to make sure business owners don't exploit this age restriction loophole. Kate Pike, CTSI Lead Officer for Tobacco and Vapes, said: 'We are getting increasing reports from concerned parents and teachers that shops are marketing and selling nicotine pouches to children. It is incredibly frustrating that there is nothing we can currently do to prevent them. 'We have been asking for an age of sale on nicotine pouches for some time and were delighted when this measure was included in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.'
The Guardian
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Nicotine pouches sold to children mimic sweets, says UK trading standards body
Nicotine pouches are being legally sold to children and are being made appealing to them with special flavours and packaging mimicking sweets, a trading standards body has said. In June, it became illegal for single-use vapes to be sold in England to tackle their widespread use by children. However, there is currently no legislation that restricts the age at which you can buy nicotine pouches. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said the pouches currently fall between 'regulatory gaps as they are not regulated as a specific tobacco or nicotine product'. Nicotine pouches, which contain nicotine, flavouring and sweeteners, are placed in the upper lip, allowing nicotine to be absorbed through the gum. Trading standards officers found they were in plain sight at checkout areas of many stores, with packaging and flavours similar to sweets and so made appealing to children, the CTSI said. According to a survey by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) carried out by YouGov, in 2024 only 38% of 11- to 17-year-olds were aware of nicotine pouches, rising to 43% this year. Duncan Stephenson, the policy and external affairs director at the CTSI, said the prominence of nicotine pouches 'very much feels like a game of whack-a-mole', because 'just as one product is dealt with, another emerges.' Stephenson added: 'While Trading Standards is working to ensure that the ban on single disposable vapes is in place, we are coming across new and emerging threats. 'The availability of potentially harmful products being promoted and sold to our children seems never-ending. Nicotine pouches are the latest example, with slick marketing, sweet flavours and colourful packaging that risk appealing to young people, whether intended or not. 'Local Trading Standards teams on the ground are uncovering these risks every day, but we urgently need the powers set out in the tobacco and vapes bill to take urgent and effective action. Strong, proactive regulation is essential to protect children and stop these products from slipping through the cracks.' Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion The tobacco and vapes bill, which is currently at the committee stage in the House of Lords, will include legislation to restrict the use of flavours, packaging and advertising of nicotine pouches that might appeal to children, and also dictate where they can be placed within shops. The CTSI is calling for the bill to be moved up the parliamentary timeline to ensure there is no delay in restrictions on the sale of nicotine pouches to children being implemented. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Our landmark tobacco and vapes bill will ban the sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s and stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately promoted and advertised to children. 'The bill will place nicotine pouches under the same advertising restrictions as tobacco and provides powers to regulate their nicotine limits, flavours, packaging and how they are displayed. 'It will stop the next generation from getting hooked on nicotine and put an end to the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.'
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.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE UFC fighter loved by Donald Trump reveals 'miracle' $1 weight loss drug helped her cut 30lbs
UFC Champion Kayla Harrison revealed she used Zyn nicotine pouches to help with her brutal 30-pound weight cut. The $1 pouches have been hugely popular among young people and TikTokers for their appetite suppressing effects. But they've since entered the mainstream, capturing the attention of athletes and politicians. Harrison, 34, credited Zyn pouches with helping her cut down from 165lbs to 135lbs for her championship fight at the weekend. She secured the world title this weekend after tapping out her opponent, before wrapping the belt around President Donald Trump's waist in a viral photo. Harrison, who has historically struggled with weight cutting, has been vocal about her grueling regimen, which includes six miles of biking, running and swimming a day and eating only foods made by a professional chef. But days after her victory, the mixed martial artist revealed it wasn't just cardio or dieting that won her the title. She wrote on X: 'Shoutout to @zyn for getting me to 135. I'm not sponsored but I wanna be.' Zyn is a brand of tiny nicotine pouches no larger than a thumbnail that has emerged as an unlikely weight loss secret weapon. It's well known that nicotine suppresses your appetite by sending satiety signals to receptors in the brain, convincing your brain that you don't need to eat. It also ramps up your heart rate and sends in a flood of adrenaline, which activates the body's 'fight or flight' response. In this state, the body doesn't want food. For this reason, cigarettes have long been linked to weight loss, but the risks of lung cancer and heart attacks far outweighs the benefits. The same thing happens with Zyn, but the science is much murkier. After being inserted between the lips and gum, Zyn releases nicotine into the bloodstream slowly, with effects lasting up to an hour, compared to just minutes for cigarettes. This could stave off hunger for much longer than smoking. Experts told that while the $1 pouch can ward off hunger, it still contains highly addictive nicotine, which attacks arteries and increases the risks of heart attacks and stroke. It's also been shown to lead to gum disease and oral cancers, which are on the rise in the US and UK. Tucker Carlson launched his own brand of nicotine pouches called Alp. Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr was also seen popping what looked like a Zyn during his confirmation hearings. The FDA approved Zyn as a smoking alternative earlier this year, citing evidence it would help wean smokers off traditional tobacco. So far, 10 flavors have been approved in the US, including coffee, cinnamon and menthol. However, the pouches have been available for over a decade, leading young people to boast improvements to their fitness, energy and sexual performance. Gen Z has also dubbed them 'O-Zyn-pic,' a reference to it being a significantly cheaper Ozempic alternative for weight loss. A pack of 15 Zyn pouches sells for $5-$10, whereas Ozempic can run up to $1,000 a month without insurance. The nicotine in Zyn is thought to activate the α3β4 receptors in the brain, which send signals promoting fullness, even if a user is actually hungry. It may also increase the production of leptin, a satiety hormone, and boost the body's ability to burn fat. There's little evidence on the long-term effects of Zyn, but the risks of nicotine have been well documented. Dr Hector Perez, lead bariatric surgeon at Renew Bariatrics, told 'I think it's safe to say that using Zyn as a weight loss drug is like using a chainsaw to slice bread. Yes, Zyn contains nicotine, and yes, nicotine is a known appetite suppressant. 'But let's be clear: using Zyn or any nicotine product as a weight loss tool is not safe, sustainable, or smart. To lose 30 pounds in a few months with nicotine as the main strategy would likely require near-constant dosing, and that's a chemical crutch verging on addiction, not simply hunger control.' Though Zyn doesn't contain tobacco, it still has highly addictive nicotine. Roughly 24million Americans over 12, nine percent of the population, are dependent on nicotine. Nicotine addiction leads to withdrawal symptoms like irritability, cravings, restless legs, anxiety and trouble sleeping. The adrenaline rush caused by nicotine also increases heart rate and blood pressure as part of the body's 'fight-or-flight' response. While this gives users a burst of excitement, repeated stress on the cardiovascular system makes the heart have to work harder to pump blood. The weaker the heart and its surrounding arteries get, the more likely they are to become blocked, leading to a heart attack. Nicotine also attacks the lungs and reduces their function, which could prove detrimental for elite athletes like Harrison. Dr Perez said: 'Zyn is the Wild West. You're playing with your heart rate, blood pressure, and potentially your long-term brain chemistry.' Nicotine may also lead to lasting dental issues. Dr Pia Lieb, cosmetic dentist at Cosmetic Dentistry Center in New York City, told 'Using [Zyn] more long term, users are putting themselves at risk of developing gum disease, as nicotine is a vasoconstricter.' This means is reduces blood flow to the gums, leading to swelling and bleeding. 'This can lead to gum recession, which can expose the roots of teeth, making them more vulnerable to decay and sensitivity,' Dr Lieb added. She also warns nicotine is still a carcinogen linked to oral cancers, which strike 60,000 Americans a year and kill 13,000.
