September 04, 2025
Wolf von Dewitz/Sipa USA
Reports to poison control centers for nicotine pouch ingestion among young children rose 763% between 2020 and 2023, according to a recent study. Nicotine pouches, like the ones pictured here, are slipped between the cheek and gums.
Due to increased accidental poisonings among young people, the federal government is calling on nicotine pouch manufacturers to use child-resistant packaging.
Nicotine pouches are small packages of cellulose plant fibers that contain nicotine that go between the cheek and gum. The nicotine is then absorbed into the bloodstream. Partly because they are smokeless and do not contain tobacco, nicotine pouches have spiked in popularity in recent years.
But though nicotine pouches offer a smoke-free alternative to tobacco products, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes, they are addictive and especially dangerous to young people, according to health experts. About 2% of middle and high school students reported using nicotine products in the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey, and the pouches come in flavors appealing to young people, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
There was a 763% increase in calls to poison control centers for nicotine pouch ingestions among children under 6 between 2020 and 2023, according to a study released in July. The majority of ingestions occurred at home and in children under 2. Two children died from ingesting concentrated liquid used in e-cigarettes.
"Child-resistant packaging can serve as an essential safety barrier to prevent children from accidentally ingesting nicotine products and demonstrates a manufacturer's commitment to protecting public health," the FDA said Tuesday.
The FDA also issued recommendations for how to keep nicotine pouches away from children and prevent accidental exposure.
In addition to being highly addictive, nicotine can impact brain development in young people, according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Nicotine also can increase the risk of heart disease and lung and stomach problems, according to Yale Medicine.
