The population has turned its back to the traditional way of cigarette smoking and are on to different alternatives to help them quit tobacco addiction. Are Nicotine Pouches really the best substitute for this? Keep reading and learn about its growing popularity that might just shake your interest.
Trying to understand The story behind tobacco’s popularity is understanding the history and socio-geographical perspective. This is essential to us in the modern day as it sheds light on the social and cultural factors that smoking has on people, thus, influencing the production, consumption, and regulation of this practice throughout history.
Tobacco’s History
It has been practiced in one form or another since ancient times. It goes back to the first century BC when the people from Central America called the Maya people used tobacco leaves for smoking using them during sacred and religious rituals. Many ancient civilizations burnt them along with cannabis and opium as incense during ceremonies which were inhaled indirectly by the people.
These small communities that performed these intricate ceremonies intrigued European explorers who later on developed a taste for tobacco. The Spaniards first imported tobacco to Europe, where it was used for medicinal purposes. Later on, the Portuguese introduced the smoking of tobacco which quickly spread among the elite classes and the other social classes.
By the 17th century, tobacco made its way to be known globally and had been made into a global commodity that vast plantations were made for its production. As it began global domination, the tobacco industry developed various marketing strategies to promote its products.
In the 19th century the rise of cigarettes where rampant. As technology aided the production of cigarettes it declined in its cost making it available to the masses. Later on, it was no longer just smoking but a vice linked to the trends, modernity, and sophistication. Which led to more people wanting to get their hands into this booming trend for the youth.
It had been heavily marketed during the 20th century that it was less risky unlike what other people think. False advertising was widespread during this time to be able to sell cigarette sticks.
This century-old vice has finally been found out by the present generation. In the 1950s, smoking cigarettes were found to be one of the causes of lung cancer. However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that smoking rates in developed countries where slowly depreciating. This of course, is all thanks to public education campaigns and government regulations that restricted this growing habit.
Cigarette smoking remains a controversial topic for most people even in the present times. Unsafe substances that are found in tobacco products are acetone, tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide. Tobacco smoking has been known to cause some strong long-term effects on your body system which include the risk of glaucoma, cancer, issues with blood clotting, and some of the bodily effects that happen immediately. More than 7 million people are killed every year according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Alternatives to Traditional Cigarette Smoking
Many countries are already following strict regulations about smoking, due to the health concerns it brings. This is the reason for the decline of its production around the world. With this, people had to create ways to still be able to enjoy their vices with lesser risks of putting tobacco in their system.
This is where E-cigarettes and vaping come into the picture. People who are trying to kick the smoking habit and help with the intake of tobacco, have resorted to vaping and e-cigarettes which are less harmful than cigarettes but it is still not safe as per the article by Michael Joseph Blaha, M.D., M.P.H. of Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Adults and young adults looking for a safer alternative to traditional tobacco products are the reason vapes and e-cigarettes gained popularity in reason year. The risks and benefits of this alternative to tobacco smoking remain debatable. People still push for the benefits it brings to people trying to quit cigarette smoking. Others worry that the younger people getting addicted to using vape might lead them back to the traditional way of smoking – tobacco-made products like cigarettes.
What are Nicotine Pouches?
As more and more regulations are put into place, tobacco companies’ revenue has drastically declined compared to its past popularity. This is why, it’s not a big surprise for the tobacco industry to introduce yet another product to be able to maintain its revenue stream. And so, there came the birth of Nicotine pouches that are now available in at least 22 markets globally. The global value of the nicotine pouch market was over $3 billion in 2021, with 6.8 billion pouches sold and the data keeps on growing each year since.
Nicotine pouches are small, porous, teabag-like products that you put between your upper lip and gums. They do not require spitting when you have them on and are said to be nearly undetectable when in use and when all the nicotine has been absorbed, you just simply replace the pouch. This was one of the edges that this product had for its users. Nicotine pouches no longer have fresh tobacco in them. They contain dehydrated nicotine added with flavorings, and plant-based fibers. The nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream from your mouth through the gums and saliva.
This product is sold in small colorful tin cans like the usual mint that you see in stores. Each of these tin cans has about 15 to 20 pouches. You are able to choose the flavor you want and how strong the nicotine content (between 3mg and 12mg) in each pouch is. The range of flavors together with how they can be used discreetly, make nicotine pouches particularly attractive to the younger generation. Most nicotine pouch brands recommend their pouches last for up to an hour before you can replace them.
Nicotine pouches are similar to Snus which is a traditional Scandinavian smokeless tobacco product, widely used by men in Sweden for decades now. It is, however, banned in other EU countries but has been available in the US market.
Is it worth the hype?
While more research on Nicotine pouches are still being done, Nicotine pouches are already helping ease the cravings of those looking to ultimately stop tobacco and nicotine use altogether. This can be the case if the amount of nicotine is gradually decreased to be less than what a person was taking in compared to cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
For a variety of the best nicotine pouches in the market, come and visit Two Wombats and get the best kind of nicotine pouch for you.
Remember, the long-term effects of nicotine in the body is still unknown however anything has its risks and that you should take this with precaution in mind.
