Nicotine Pouch Use Skyrockets Among Soldiers, Study Reveals

A new study from the University of Virginia Cancer Center, the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Fort Liberty Department of Public Health says that U.S. soldiers use nicotine pouches 10 times more often than the average American adult.

In 2022 and 2023, 1,957 Fort Liberty, North Carolina, soldiers were asked to participate in the study. Results showed that almost 25% of subjects used nicotine pouches, while only 3% of adults in the U.S. said they did.

Even though nicotine pouches are very popular, they are awful for your health. They can cause heart problems, lung and stomach problems, gum ulcers, and even cancer growth, according to experts.

"Military people have historically used tobacco and nicotine products at much higher rates than civilians," said Dr. Melissa Little, who runs the University of Virginia's Center for Nicotine and Tobacco Research. "These differences are still there with newer products like nicotine pouches," the researchers said.

The study also looked at population trends and found that pouch users were primarily single men under 30 years old who were white.

During the study time, researchers saw more pouches being used, which aligns with a growing trend in the military. This fits with previous research that found more service members smoke. For example, an Oxford Academic study from 2012 found that 9% of troops use smokeless tobacco, compared to almost 4% of civilians.

The results make it clear that the persistent differences in tobacco use in the military need to be fixed with targeted public health measures.

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