Comparison Of Chemicals In Cigarettes And Nicotine Pouches

Nathan Chilcott

Published Studies

According to a recent NIBH study nicotine pouches are a healthier alternative to cigarettes. They are deemed a viable part of any tobacco harm reduction strategy.

A large part of this claim is based on the fact nicotine pouches are tobacco-free, meaning you can’t be exposed to the chemicals produced when burning tobacco.

This does leave the question of what you will find in pouches and cigarettes.

Nicotine Pouch Chemicals

The list of nicotine pouch chemicals is surprisingly short. According to the ingredients, pouches are made up of plant fibres, natural or synthetic nicotine, flavourings, and sweeteners.

In reality, the flavourings and sweeteners are a mixture of chemicals. These include, according to an NBIH study, low levels of ammonia, chromium, nickel, and formaldehyde.

The study also noted the absence of nitrosamines or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Chemicals In Cigarettes

In the battle of nicotine pouches vs cigarettes, it’s fair to say cigarettes have a lot more chemicals.

According to the American Lung Association there are over 600 ingredients in your average cigarette.

"The same survey found that burning a cigarette triggers the release of over 7,000 chemicals.”

In fact, the study goes on to say that chemical studies show 69 of the chemicals produced can cause cancer.

We can’t list all the chemicals, but some, which may surprise you, include acetone, ammonia, arsenic, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, lead, methanol, and tar.

These are chemicals you would find in many other products, some of which are toxic, and you wouldn’t expect to see them in your cigarette.

What This All Means

Studies can be confusing; they generally contain a lot of facts and figures. However, the bottom line in this case is simple. Nicotine pouches have become one of the best smoking alternatives because they have a much smaller number of chemicals than cigarettes.

In both cases, the ingredients are misleading as the chemicals produced are a result of burning the tobacco or moistening the pouch in your mouth.

The chemicals in cigarettes can be toxic, although the dose in each cigarette is too small to cause death.

Nicotine pouches do contain chemicals, but studies have shown there are far fewer and much less toxic ones than in cigarettes.

To put this in context, everything you consume has chemicals in it. Your main aim should be reducing that number and sticking to the less harmful ones.

In this case, that means choosing nicotine pouches.

Summing Up

Nicotine pouches are a viable alternative to cigarettes, and because they contain much fewer chemicals, they are less harmful to your health.

As a bonus, pouches come in a wide array of flavours, making them a delightful option. Simply look at the most popular nicotine pouch brands, and you’ll be spoilt for choice.

That makes nicotine pouches the winner because they contain fewer chemicals, including avoiding toxic chemicals like arsenic.

If you’re trying to quit smoking or looking for the healthiest way to enjoy nicotine, you’ll be pleased to know there are far fewer chemicals in nicotine pouches than cigarettes.