Study Reveals the Role of Nicotine Pouches in Quitting Smoking and Their Spread Among Young Adults

The scientific community has taken note of a first-of-its-kind study carried out in Saudi Arabia and published in Scientific Reports, part of the Nature portfolio. The research looked at how widely nicotine pouches are used among the general public and tobacco users, and what role they may play in helping people quit. The survey was run in August 2025 and drew a large number of Saudi respondents, reviving the conversation about alternatives in smoking harm-reduction plans.

What Are Nicotine Pouches?

In short, a nicotine pouch is a small pouch made from a natural-based wrapper and filled with plant fibers, with added flavors and nicotine. Many people who smoke cigarettes look at them as an alternative. There are no tobacco leaves in the pouch itself, but varieties that use nicotine extracted from the tobacco plant are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration.

That regulatory pressure pushed newer brands toward synthetic nicotine made in the lab. The category is fairly recent: pouches first appeared in Norway in 2014 under the Epok brand from British American Tobacco’s Norwegian arm. Swedish tobacco giants followed with well-known brands of their own as demand for tobacco-free options grew, and large tobacco companies have since become more active in the segment, with Philip Morris now among its leading players.

Key Findings From the Saudi Study

The study relied on an online questionnaire shared across social media platforms to reach as wide a group as possible. In total, 657 people of different backgrounds and age groups took part. Early indicators showed that more than 21 percent of the sample had actually tried nicotine pouches, a notable figure for a product that is still new in the local market. Young men between 18 and 30 years old made up the largest group of users, which shows how open this generation is to options that may reduce the harm of regular cigarettes.

Roughly 21 percent reported no positive change at all. These numbers are encouraging, but they also highlight how much individual experiences differ, which is why deeper research is needed to assess effectiveness with a rigorous scientific method.

Pouches involve no combustion, so they do not release the smoke-related compounds found in a regular cigarette. Even so, the study documented a number of side effects reported by users. Nausea topped the list, followed by tiredness and headaches at varying rates, and a few rare cases of allergic reactions and low mood were also noted. Most complaints were very mild and did not require seeing a doctor, but there is still not enough information about long-term effects.

The data also showed that heavy cigarette smokers were the most likely to try the new alternatives. People smoking seven to nine cigarettes a day were about six times more likely to have tried pouches than the rest of the sample, and for those smoking more than ten a day the likelihood was around two and a half times higher. On the other hand, uptake was lower among women, older adults and people with lower incomes. Interestingly, respondents earning between 11,000 and 17,000 Saudi riyals showed the most enthusiasm for switching, which suggests that cost plays a big part in how these products spread.

These findings arrive alongside major global shifts in tobacco regulation, with countries such as Sweden and the UAE adding nicotine alternatives to their harm-reduction strategies. Inside Saudi Arabia, the large number of young users gives health authorities a chance to regulate these options with clear controls, including licensing, quality standards and a legal minimum age. Including pouches in quit-smoking programs would be a major step in tackling high smoking rates, especially among younger age groups.

This report offers the first detailed scientific picture of how far nicotine pouches have reached in Saudi Arabia, showing that about one in five participants had tried them. Although more than 40 percent said pouches helped them stop smoking, the numbers remain preliminary and call for deeper investigation. Side effects were generally mild, but the lack of long-term data means continued caution is needed.

These results are likely to fuel a long discussion among experts and decision-makers in the Kingdom about whether pouches will be treated as an effective tool against smoking or subjected to strict rules like similar products. Either way, the paper is a cornerstone for understanding the alternatives available in the region, and it puts Saudi Arabia on the map in the international debate about reducing the damage caused by tobacco.

A Saudi Story: 400,000 People Leave Cigarettes Behind

Badael was founded in 2023 with direct backing from the Public Investment Fund, aiming to reduce tobacco consumption by offering alternatives that help smokers stop without resorting to harsh bans. The company’s flagship product is Dzrt, a tobacco-free pouch used orally that delivers nicotine without burning or smoke.

In under two years, Badael says it has helped around 400,000 people move away from cigarettes, according to its CEO Tolga Sezer, while another 140,000 have given up nicotine altogether. The company presents this as proof that creative ideas, backed by sound planning, can drive real change in community health beyond purely financial gains.

Badael’s ambition shows in its plan to scale up production dramatically, from 1.5 million units to more than 100 million units this year. It also plans to place its products in 6,000 points of sale across 13 cities in the Kingdom, going beyond online-only sales.

Ultimately, the company says these steps should be judged by the number of lives protected from tobacco rather than by sales figures. As calls for stricter bans grow, Badael’s approach is offered as evidence that harm can be reduced without criminalization or intimidation, and that nicotine can be handled differently when it is used in the right way.

Saudi Arabia has shown in practice that harm-reduction planning goes beyond theory, serving as a real roadmap with the potential to bring broad benefits to public health, the economy and society as a whole.