Cigarette smoking is widely known to cause poor health, but even so, organisations, governments, and industries worldwide are at a loss to help curb the habit for most individuals. In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration announced plans to require tobacco companies to slash the nicotine levels in traditional cigarettes, with the hope to help reduce the 480,000 lives claimed by smoking each year.

While the proposal isn’t in effect yet and may take a while to be established, other countries worldwide have worked on alternative or similar plans to introduce significant reductions in smoking rates.

It’s essential to recognise why people continue smoking, despite the risks. Some individuals resort to smoking cigarettes to help cope with feelings of anxiety. There is a long connection between smoking and mental health, although it’s unclear which comes first.

Researchers do know that quitting cigarettes can positively impact mental health, as the brain’s balance is restored after you stop altering it chemically. To help smokers on their quitting journey, we’ll go over a few alternative nicotine products that are on trend:

Heated tobacco products

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are designed to heat tobacco without burning it, producing little to no smoke in the process. Findings from The Conversation’s review on HTPs indicate that people who switched from traditional cigarettes to HTPs had lower levels of exposure to harmful chemicals.

However, the findings also show that these toxic chemicals are still at higher levels in HTP users than in those who stopped using tobacco entirely. Compared to e-cigarettes and vapes that heat liquids containing nicotine instead of tobacco, studies on the long-term effects of using heated tobacco products remain lacking.

For now, however, the popularity of HTP brands such as IQOS is often associated with being a smoke-free alternative for smokers trying to reduce or quit the habit entirely.

Nicotine pouches

Nicotine pouches are placed between your lip and upper teeth. Small in size and kept in tin cans, nicotine pouches are rising in popularity as another smoke-free nicotine alternative.

Additionally, manufacturer Burger Söhne AB offers a wide range of newbie-friendly flavours and nicotine levels, which experienced users still appreciate. Like HTPs, nicotine pouches are relatively new to the market. Still, they have quickly become an affordable means for smokers who aim to reduce their nicotine consumption over time, as well as help kick the smoking habit for good.

Nicotine pouches are also becoming a preferred item because they don’t operate electronically — as vapes and HTPs do — and are relatively easier to travel with and carry around, while being a fun and discreet method of consuming nicotine.

Nicotine gums and lozenges

Finally, other smoke-free nicotine alternatives are nicotine gums and lozenges. These come in various flavours and nicotine levels and have become a preferred smoking cessation method over the years as they help eliminate smoking cravings. They have also improved in taste and quality since entering the market.

Nicorette’s nicotine gum, in particular, comes coated with ice mint lozenge for a smoother texture to improve on previous nicotine lozenge products that were sometimes “chalky” in texture.

Today, nicotine gums are available in 2mg or 4mg variants, depending on your preference, and are accessible through supermarkets, convenience stores, and online retail stores. Like nicotine pouches, they are discreet and easy to store, making them great for traveling.

These are just some of the newer nicotine alternatives that could help smokers cut down on cigarettes without going cold turkey. For more of the latest news in lifestyle, check out our other articles here on We Heart.