As parents work to keep up with fast-changing teen trends—especially when it comes to substance use—a new study shows a sharp rise in a discreet and growing habit: nicotine pouch use among teenagers.
Nicotine pouches, small tobacco-free pouches placed between the gum and lip, are marketed as smokeless and spit-free alternatives to traditional chewing tobacco. Unlike other smokeless products, they don’t require spitting, making them easier to use without detection—especially in school settings or social situations.
A new study from the University of Southern California, which surveyed more than 10,000 high school students, found that teen use of nicotine pouches nearly doubled between 2023 and 2024. In 2023, 3% of teens reported using nicotine pouches. That number jumped to 5.4% in 2024.
Not only did more teens report ever trying the products, but recent use also rose. More students reported using pouches in the past 30 days and the past year—and a growing number said they were using them alongside e-cigarettes.
Interestingly, while pouch use is rising, vaping rates have slightly declined. In 2023, 20% of teens surveyed said they had used e-cigarettes in the past year, compared to 17.6% in 2024. Still, dual use is on the rise: 3.6% of teens said they had used both pouches and e-cigarettes in the past year, up from 2.1% the year prior.
The shift is happening even as adult use remains low. A 2024 study from USC’s Keck School of Medicine found that less than 1% of adults use nicotine pouches. This has raised questions about who’s buying the products—and how they’re being marketed.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the popular brand Zyn to market its flavored nicotine pouches to adults 21 and older as commercial tobacco products. While the FDA said the products could be a less harmful option for adult smokers looking to quit cigarettes, the pouches are not approved as official smoking cessation tools like nicotine gum or patches.
