Since 2017, their expansion accelerated with the arrival of global brands.
High concentrations and direct toxicity Nicotine pouches contain concentrations ranging from three to 50 milligrams, which far exceeds levels considered high for oral use, where six to eight milligrams already represent an excessive load. Nicotine is a highly toxic substance, historically used even as a natural insecticide, and has a high addictive potential, with particular danger for children, adolescents, young adults, and pregnant women.
Oral, digestive, and neurological damage By remaining in the mouth for about 30 minutes, the pouches cause canker sores, ulcers, and periodontal abscesses, which can lead to tooth loss, gingivitis, and profound alterations in the oral microbiota and saliva. Once in the brain, nicotine induces dopamine release, generating a sensation of pleasure that is enhanced by flavorings, creating a dual addictive stimulus. The ingested saliva, loaded with nicotine and chemicals, can cause gastric inflammation, abdominal pain, gastritis, colitis, and erosion of the gastric mucosa, as well as serious cardiovascular repercussions such as myocardial infarction or stroke.
Attractive flavors and deceptive perception Producers incorporate flavorings like mint, spearmint, or blueberry to mask the smell of nicotine and make the product more appealing, especially to younger populations, reducing the perception of risk. Because they are made with synthetic nicotine, these pouches are not legally classified as tobacco products, which allows the industry to operate in a regulatory vacuum without health warnings, unlike cigarettes and pipe tobacco. They are marketed as smokeless and tobacco-free products and can be found in convenience stores, located next to candy and sweets, facilitating their acquisition even by minors.
Extreme risks in childhood and combined use Accidental ingestion by young children or four and five-year-olds can cause severe poisoning with nausea, vomiting, convulsions, respiratory depression, and even death. In clinical practice, the simultaneous use of pouches, vapes, and traditional cigarettes has also been observed, especially in men who use them at work and continue smoking outside of it, a combination that poses a cumulative health threat.
Nicotine pouches do not represent a safe way to quit smoking but rather a more potent and less visible form of addiction with systemic impacts ranging from the oral cavity to the cardiovascular system.
"Nicotine pouches combine dopamine, flavorings, and high doses of nicotine"
By: LaSalud.mx Editorial, Mexico City, January 14, 2026 .-Although in different settings they are promoted as an option to quit smoking, so-called nicotine pouches represent an even greater risk of addiction due to their high nicotine content and other chemical substances, according to Guadalupe Ponciano Rodríguez, an academic from the Faculty of Medicine of the UNAM and coordinator of the Tobacco Research and Prevention Program of that institution.
From clinical practice and research, it has been documented that the only methods with proven safety and efficacy in Mexico to quit smoking are nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and non-nicotine treatments such as bupropion and varenicline, both in tablet form.
What they are and how they work Nicotine pouches, also called modern oral nicotine products, are small devices of approximately one by two centimeters, made with vegetable fibers impregnated with nicotine, generally synthetic. Some formulations have shown the presence of nitrosamines, flavorings, and heavy metals such as chromium, which broadens their risk profile. Their use consists of placing them between the upper lip and the gum, where nicotine is absorbed through the buccal mucosa and enters the bloodstream, distributing throughout the body.
Growth in consumption and international expansion Available evidence shows a sustained increase in their use, particularly among young people. Northern Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States (EUA) concentrate much of the current market, although their presence is progressively expanding in Latin America. In Nordic countries, prevalences of up to 20 percent have been reported in young adults, while in the EUA, consumption among adolescents continues to rise. These products emerged in Europe in the early 2010s, derived from Swedish snus, and were driven by tobacco companies in the face of restrictions on combustible tobacco.
