Everything you need to know about nicotine pouches

The latest nicotine product targeted at young people

Nicotine pouches are now banned in South Australia. Here's everything you need to know about the illegal product gaining popularity with young people. 

You may have seen several influencers with lumps under their upper lips, or heard young people talking about ‘Zyns'.

Anita Dessaix, Director of Cancer Prevention and Advocacy at Cancer Council NSW, says “Despite being illegal to sell, (nicotine pouches) have been seized as part of routine enforcement of Australian retailers, and have also been promoted to young people by Australian social media influencers”. 

The South Australian Government recently banned the sale of the products, with anyone caught selling them at risk of being fined up to $1.5 million.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) states that ‘no nicotine pouches have been evaluated by us for quality, safety or efficacy in Australia’, yet data from Cancer Council’s Generation Vape shows that 1 in 5 young adults who currently smoke have used nicotine pouches, and they seem to be growing in popularity.

But what are nicotine pouches? And why are so many young people using them?

What are nicotine pouches? 

The small tea-bag-like packets contain nicotine, flavouring and other chemicals. Users position them between their lip and gum so the nicotine is absorbed through their mouth lining.

Some people who have used the illegal products have described feeling an energy rush, an increased heart rate, lightheadedness and a tingling sensation.

Research from Generation Vape has found that young people are using the products as a party drug or a vaping alternative, though the TGA says ‘there is no strong evidence to support the use of nicotine pouches for smoking or vaping cessation.’

Australian Medical Association president and GP Danielle McMullen told the ABC the products aren't intended to help people quit vaping or smoking.

"We use … something called nicotine replacement therapy, and that's things you might have seen in the supermarket like Nicorette or other brands that have small doses of nicotine to help people come off of cigarettes," she said. "That's very different to these nicotine pouches that have huge doses of nicotine in it and really aren't built to help you quit smoking because they've got flavours that you then really want to keep trying."

But are the pouches any less bad for us than other nicotine products?

Nicotine is highly addictive, and having too much can cause nicotine poisoning. Image: iStock

What are the health risks of nicotine pouches?

The long-term effects of using nicotine pouches aren’t known yet, but according to Quit, ‘some toxic chemicals, including ones that may cause cancer, have been found in nicotine pouches.’

We do know that with short-term use, people can experience mouth lesions, upset stomachs, sore mouths, sore throats and nausea. 

McMullen said "nicotine, through its effects on your heart and your blood pressure … often contributes to anxiety," and mentioned that some people report feeling 'nic-sick' after using the products.

"It makes your heart rate go up, and so it's harmful for your heart. You feel sick, you feel faint, and that's a really unpleasant experience", she explained.

Nicotine is highly addictive, and too much can cause nicotine poisoning – which can bring on nausea, headaches, dizziness, coughing, diarrhoea, increased heart rate and vomiting.

On top of the negative health impacts we already know the chemical can cause, as per I Can Quit, ‘the nicotine found in nicotine pouches is as a stimulant which can disrupt our body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.’

McMullen said "nicotine, through its effects on your heart and your blood pressure … often contributes to anxiety," and mentioned that some people report feeling 'nic-sick' after using nicotine pouches. Image: Unsplash

Unsurprisingly, having a large amount of nicotine and chemicals pressed against your gums isn’t great for your oral health either.

Founder and director of Sage Space dental practice, Corbin Barry tells Body+Soul "many people assume nicotine pouches are a safer alternative to smoking, but they can still cause serious harm to your mouth."

He says using nicotine pouches can potentially affect:

Gum health

Gum irritation and possibly recession or gum disease with long-term use.

Mouth flora

Nicotine can throw off the balance of bacteria in our mouth, which can possibly increase our risk of gum disease.

Our chances of getting gum disease

Harmful substances including nitrosamines and chromium are present in some of the products. These have been linked to “long-term health risks and possibly increase the risk of gum disease.”

Bone and tooth health 

Nicotine lowers our absorption of calcium and slows our bodies’ production of bone-forming cells, wreaking havoc on our bone health. The expert says nicotine pouches then, can make our “jawbone more fragile and increase the risk of losing teeth.”

Healing

Our gums and tissues could take longer to heal after using nicotine pouches, as the stimulant suppresses healing cells. 

Gum tissue

Even the flavouring in these products can cause damage. Barry notes that some of the artificial additives can weaken our gum tissue.

Originally published as Everything you need to know about nicotine pouches