Busting myths about nicotine and nicotine pouches

There is a lot of different nicotine pouch myths and some of them are true and some false. Nicotine pouch use amongst adults in the UK which is great news, as this means more people are opting to stop smoking and instead use alternative methods to get their nicotine fix, with nicotine pouches being one of the most recent introductions for nicotine replacement therapy on the UK market.

Nicotine pouches were first introduced on to the UK market in 2019, and whilst they took a little while to start gaining in popularity, the latest facts and figures are showing that usage amongst adults is on the rise. However, there is still doubts and confusion in people’s minds on whether or not nicotine is safe to use, especially when it comes to being included in a nicotine pouch.

In this article, I will look at the common myths and misperceptions about nicotine being harmful and explain why nicotine pouches are a safe alternative to smoking, in the process busting some of these myths!  

What is nicotine?

Nicotine belongs to a family of compounds called alkaloids and these alkaloids are naturally occurring in different plants like tomatoes and aubergines, but the highest level of nicotine is found in, you guessed it…tobacco plants.

Prior to the nicotine being extracted from the leaves of these plants, people used to chew and smoke the leaves to obtain a nicotine kick, and some cultures even used them in religious rituals. It wasn’t until the European colonists gathered the leaves and exported them away from the native land they grew in and began to use them for profit and introduce the recreational use of tobacco as a way for people to experience a nicotine hit.  

True or False? nicotine pouch myths.

I’m now going to delve into the most common misperceptions about nicotine and answer them in a true or false style layout. I’ll give you a hint, there’s going to be a lot more False than True incoming!

Nicotine causes Cancer – Myth

This is one of the most common misperceptions about nicotine that we hear a lot, and that is that nicotine causes cancer. False, completely and utterly false!

As you and probably everybody knows, cigarettes contain nicotine. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of illness and death in England. It’s reported that smoking was accountable for 74,600 deaths in the country last year as it can cause serious diseases like lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory problems. Spreading out worldwide, it’s reported that smoking was responsible for 7 million deaths globally, with it predicted to rise by 10 million every year until the year 2030 unless something drastic changes.

This is where people believe that it’s the nicotine in cigarettes that causes things like cancer to occur. Wrong! Nicotine is not the cancer-causing additive within cigarettes, it’s the 6000+ different chemicals that are produced when a cigarette is lit, with carbon monoxide being one of the most prominent chemicals in a lit cigarette.

There has not been any proven deaths or illnesses on record that’s been caused by nicotine alone, and there likely never will be because while it is addictive, nicotine is not harmful. Myth busted!

Nicotine is addictive – Fact

This is one of the only true facts that will appear in this list, and that is the fact that Nicotine is a highly addictive substance.

When people smoke, they will become addicted to the nicotine that is found in cigarettes, and as with any addiction, once this sets in, it is hard to overcome. Nicotine rapidly absorbs into the bloodstream and affects several different areas of the body by creating chemical reactions linked to the brain including relaxation, pleasure and satisfaction. This is what people will miss if they give up smoking cigarettes which is why it’s always recommended to use a form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy, like nicotine pouches if you are trying to quit smoking.

Using more than one Nicotine Replacement Therapy option is wrong – Myth

There’s nothing wrong with using two different nicotine replacement therapy options in my opinion, and it will not cause you any harm as we have established that nicotine is not harmful to the human body. Using two different methods is called “Combination therapy” and it can help you especially if you were a heavy smoker and reliant on nicotine a lot.

Saying this though, I wouldn’t recommend having a nicotine pouch in and vaping simultaneously for example. Just alternate between using your vaping device and nicotine pouches!  

I’ve been smoking for too long; the damage is done and I shouldn’t bother quitting and trying nicotine pouches – Myth

This is one of the worst attitudes a person can possibly have when they’re wanting to quit smoking! It’s never too late to quit, and the damage that may have already been done can be stopped from having any more done to it if you choose to quit. Once you stop smoking, all of the toxins that were being harboured in your body will start to naturally disperse as you’re not adding more toxins on top of what’s pre-existing.

The effect on the body that stopping smoking has can be as quick as one week, and within 3 years of quitting, the risk of having a heart attack will plummet by at least 50%. It really is never too late to quit smoking!

Nicotine Replacement Therapy doesn’t work and Nicotine Pouches are just another fad – Myth

There will always be a high volume of sceptics and disbelievers when it comes to nicotine replacement therapy, especially those who have been smoking for a long time and have got stuck in their ways. But I can assure you that nicotine replacement therapy does work, and nicotine pouches are not “just another fad”

It’s been proven that people who use Nicotine Replacement therapy have a high success rate to quitting smoking completely within a six-month period. Nicotine Pouches are new to the market as I’ve already discussed, but they are here to stay and not a fad! The usage of them by adults in England is going up, and people are opting to use them over any other form of NRT like vaping or nicotine patches, nicotine gum or lozenges. Trust me, they work!

Nicotine pouches are dangerous to have in your mouth and if you swallow them – Myth

Nicotine pouches are not dangerous to have in your mouth, and they do not cause anything like gum disease, mouth cancer etc like you may have read. You may be thinking of SNUS which is illegal to be sold in the UK, but these pouches originate from Sweden and contain actual tobacco which can lead to adverse side effects and illness.

If you were to swallow a nicotine pouch, it isn’t the end of the world, and will likely not cause any harm to you. We’ve written a specific blog about this topic which you can read HERE.

I hope this article has helped clear up any doubts you may have had about nicotine based on what you’ve previously read or heard elsewhere. Nicotine Pouches are becoming very popular amongst adult users in England, and are proving to be a successful option for people who are wanting to quit smoking. If you’re ready to make the change, check our shop out and browse our large selection of the best nicotine pouches on the market today!