As smoking rates continue to decline, companies and influencers are pushing purported cognitive and health benefits of oral nicotine and other products.

The details:

In addition to big brands like Philip Morris International’s Zyn, a wave of startups (e.g., Lucy, Sesh, Excel, Athletic Nicotine) now market “clean,” “modern” nicotine pouches aimed at helping people “lock in” and achieve their goals, whether that’s in athletics or business.
Some tech companies are reportedly stocking vending machines with nicotine pouches to boost productivity, while marketing research firm NielsenIQ pointed to a “hot new rebrand” for nicotine pouches driven by nonsmokers turning to the products for weight loss and as a “health aide.”
The broader context: Embracing nicotine as a health and longevity hack in some ways fits with the MAHA ethos that promotes edgy or counterintuitive products and practices. HHS Secretary Kennedy himself has been spotted using nicotine pouches.

But:

The main point: Any health benefits that nicotine may have are frequently overblown or misinterpreted and are outweighed by the problem of addiction.
For example, supporters often cite research on nicotine’s positive effects for people with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, but the researcher who conducted those studies said that nicotine is “very unlikely to help the cognitive function of someone who is functioning at their normal capacity,” and his research is mostly on nicotine patches, not oral nicotine products.
Influencers tout nicotine as a “natural,” relatively harmless stimulant that can give people an extra edge, akin to caffeine, but the two substances are actually quite different.
Plus, some of these products are not legal in the U.S. The only nicotine pouches authorized for sale by FDA are Zyn and on!.

Why it’s important: Health experts support the use of research-backed products like nicotine patches and gum for people trying to quit smoking. But they worry about people who do not smoke, particularly young people, starting down the path of nicotine products.

Concerns include that nicotine can be a gateway to other substance use, particularly for adolescents, and that it poses risks to the cardiovascular system.
Studies on the particular health effects of oral nicotine pouches are limited.
While surveys show limited use by young people, anecdotally, nicotine pouches seem to be gaining viral popularity among young people, who may be particularly susceptible to the perception that nicotine can help them in school, at the gym, etc.