How Fast Is the Nicotine Pouch Industry Growing in America? [2025]

Report Highlights: 

• Nicotine pouch unit sales in the U.S. increased by about 600% between 2019 and 2022. 
• In 2019, 27.5% of U.S. high school students reported using e-cigarettes.
• Smokeless nicotine products are gaining popularity, especially among youth due to flavored options and discreet use.
• Men are more likely than women to use nicotine pouches and other smokeless products.
• Cigarette discontinuation rates are higher among those who use e-cigarettes daily than among those who do not use them daily.
• Products like nicotine pouches are a common tool to quit nicotine, as well as vapes and other Nicotine Replacement Therapies.

Nicotine Use in the U.S.

Nicotine use is populrt in the U.S, however there is a rise in cigarette-alternatives.

• As of 2020, approximately 24.9% of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes [2].
• In 2022, an estimated 6% of U.S. adults used e-cigarettes in 2022, with a significant portion using them daily [10].
• Between 2019 and 2022, nicotine pouch sales in the U.S. increased from 126.06 million units to 808.14 million units, indicating a shift from traditional tobacco [6].
• Youth and young adults remain a major demographic for emerging nicotine products, including pouches and vapes [1].

Global Use of Nicotine 

Worldwide, tobacco use is common, but is declining in high-income countries.

• Globally, tobacco use is responsible for more than 8 million deaths annually, making it one of the leading preventable causes of death [3].
• 1 in 4 adults worldwide smoke tobacco, though prevalence is declining in many high-income countries [2].
• Smokeless and alternative nicotine products are growing rapidly in the U.S. and global markets, largely driven by harm reduction campaigns [10].

Nicotine Use Among Men

Men consistently show higher usage rates of both traditional and alternative nicotine products.

• Men are more likely than women to use nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, and cigarettes [2].
• According to Our World in Data, by 2022, 29.9% of adult men smoked in the U.S. [2].
• Among smokeless tobacco users in the U.S., over 80% are male, according to recent surveys [10]. 

Nicotine Use Among Women 

Nicotine use among women is growing in certain demographics but remains lower overall compared to men.

• While lower than men's, women’s e-cigarette and nicotine pouch use is increasing, particularly among young adults [10].
• According to Our World in Data, by 2022, only 18.7% of adult women smoked in the U.S. [2].
• Women are more likely to cite stress and mood management as reasons for nicotine use [8].

Nicotine Use by Demographic 

Race, income level, and geography influence nicotine use patterns

• Rural communities report higher rates of smokeless tobacco and pouch use compared to urban areas [10].
• Youth from low-income and minority backgrounds are more likely to be targeted by nicotine product advertising [1].
• Hispanic and Black youth show slightly lower e-cigarette use rates compared to white youth but higher susceptibility to marketing [10].

Nicotine Use by Age Group 

A large majority of nicotine consumers in America are between 25 and 44 years old, although young adults are becoming the largest consumers of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.

• 18–24 years old — 2.3 Million [11]. 
• 25–44 years old — 3.2 Million [11]. 
• 45–64 years old — 1.1 Million [11].
• 65+ years old — 0.2 Million [11].
• Young adults aged 18–24 are the most likely age group to use e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches [10].

Youth Appeal to Nicotine Use 

Nicotine products, especially pouches and vapes, are attractive to younger users.

• Nicotine pouches are appealing to youth due to flavored options, discreet use, and lack of smoke or odor [10].
• Youth are drawn to nicotine products by peer influence, social media marketing, and perceived lower health risks [1].
• Packaging and branding of nicotine pouches often resemble candy or mint products, increasing their appeal among adolescents [10].

Nicotine Trends in Young People

E-cigarette use is rising in school-aged youth in the U.S. 

• In 2019, 27.5% of U.S. high school students and 10.5% of middle school students reported current e-cigarette use [5].
• More than 5.3 million U.S. students reported using e-cigarettes in 2019 alone [5].
• Daily use among youth has increased, with frequent use (≥20 days/month) more than doubling between 2017 and 2019 [10].

Why People Use Nicotine 

Although nicotine is an addictive substance, there are varying motivations for why people use it.

• Nicotine is commonly used for stress reduction, mood regulation, and alertness [8].
• Many adults use nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids, particularly those trying to quit combustible cigarettes [7].
• Among smokers, those who vape daily are more likely to quit smoking than occasional vapers [7].
• In using nicotine vapes: 
  • 55% of youths vape due to curiosity [12].
  • 37% of young adults start vaping because their friends or peers do it [12].
  • 29% of adults vape for stress relief [12].
  • 22% of adults vape to quit smoking cigarettes [12].
  • 17% of people report turning to e-cigarettes as an alternative to smokeless tobacco or other nicotine products [12].

Nicotine Delivery Methods and Tools for Quitting 

There are a number of different ways to deliver nicotine into your system, such as nicotine pouches or vapes. Some of these delivery methods are also used to help users quit nicotine. 

• Nicotine pouches (e.g., ZYN) are tobacco-free, smokeless, and placed between the gum and lip [10].
• Between 2019 and 2022, unit sales of nicotine pouches increased by nearly 600% in the U.S. [6].
• Nicotine concentrations in pouches range from 2 mg to 8 mg per pouch, with high-nicotine products growing in market share [6].
• Interventions such as behavioral counseling, financial incentives, and nicotine replacement therapy remain most effective for quitting smoking and vaping [9].
• Between 2018/19 and 2021, cigarette smoking rates dropped by 30%, replaced by electronic nicotine delivery systems, like vapes and e-cigarettes [4].

Regulation and Public Health Response to Nicotine Use 

Regulation efforts are catching up to the changing nicotine industry.

• The FDA regulates nicotine pouches as tobacco products, though oversight is still developing [10].
• Calls for stricter regulation focus on youth marketing restrictions and caps on nicotine concentration levels [10].
• Public health experts advocate for more longitudinal studies and cessation support systems tailored to non-combustible nicotine users [8]
  
  

Conclusion 

Nicotine use in the U.S. is changing — cigarettes are no longer the only nicotine products you can buy. 

Other nicotine delivery methods, such as nicotine pouches, vaping devices, and other smokeless products, are growing in popularity because of their potential to be “safer” or “less harmful” than traditional cigarettes. While smoking rates have dropped, the appeal of discreet, flavored, and high-nicotine alternatives poses new regulatory and public health challenges, especially among young people. 

Nicotine pouches, in particular, are a popular method of quitting nicotine. Despite their potential role in harm reduction and smoking cessation, nicotine pouches require careful oversight to avoid becoming another product users are dependent on. 

Continued research, better-targeted cessation programs, and stronger marketing restrictions are essential to address nicotine use in America.

 

Sources: 

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8. Butler, A. R., Lindson, N., Livingstone-Banks, J., Notley, C., Turner, T., Rigotti, N. A., ... & Hartmann-Boyce, J. (2025). Interventions for quitting vaping. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2025(1), CD016058.
   
9. Livingstone‐Banks, J., Lindson, N., & Hartmann‐Boyce, J. (2024). Effects of interventions to combat tobacco addiction: Cochrane update of 2021 to 2023 reviews. Addiction, 119(12), 2101-2115.
   
10. Truth Initiative. (2019). E-cigarettes: Facts, stats and regulations. Truth Initiative.
    
11. Hrynowski, Z. (2019, October 11). What Percentage of Americans Vape? Gallup. 
    
12. Nevenansky, J. (2023, September 13). 80+ Vaping Statistics, Facts & Demographics. Www.niagararecovery.com.