April 7, 2026

Some brands of nicotine pouches, a type of tobacco product which contain a powder that users dissolve between their lip and gum, have been available to adults over 21 for legal sale in the United States since 2016. Although the Food and Drug Administration gave approval for one brand to market 20 nicotine pouch products, the agency specified in its news release that they are not approved as a way to help tobacco users quit. (In contrast with pouches, there are multiple nicotine patches — placed on the skin that gradually releases small, controlled doses of nicotine to help curb withdrawal symptoms — that have been FDA approved to help people quit tobacco.)

Indeed, many brands have touted pouches as a way for smokers to quit over the past few years, but recently published data in the journal Tobacco Control from researchers at the Dornsife School of Public Health and the National Institutes of Health suggest it’s not a particularly effective way of doing so.

Sales of nicotine pouches — the fastest growing form of commercial tobacco purchased in the United States — rose from 126 million in August 2019 to 808 million in March 2022, with more than $8 billion in sales in 2023. The most recent data on nicotine pouch use, from 2022, found that 2.9% of U.S. adults reported ever using nicotine pouches (0.4% of them using them currently). In 2024, 1.8% of middle and high schoolers reported using nicotine pouches.

Currently, the U.S. FDA’s review of pending license applications from other brands looking to sell pouches has slowed due to health concerns, such as an association with gastrointestinal symptoms, such as ulcers and gum soreness, and cardiovascular concerns such as elevated heart rate.

To discuss the findings, senior author Lilianna Phan, PhD, an assistant professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health, recently answered some questions.

Read the full Q+A with Phan on the Drexel News Blog: Q+A: Do Nicotine Pouches Really Help Smokers Quit?