Prevalence, safety, and role of nicotine pouches in smoking cessation among smokers and the public in Saudi Arabia

Nicotine pouches are becoming increasingly popular. However, there's still a lack of comprehensive data on how widespread nicotine pouch use and its side effects in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and associated side effects of the use of nicotine pouches among smokers and the public in Saudi Arabia. This study also investigated their utilization in smoking cessation. This study used an online cross-sectional questionnaire-based design. The study population included individuals over the age of 18 living in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics were used to generate means and percentages. Regression analysis was performed to predict factors associated with the use of nicotine pouches for the purpose of smoking cessation. A total of 657 participants were included in the analysis. Regarding age distribution, the majority were aged between 18 and 30 years. Most participants were male (422; 64.2%). Regarding the prevalence of nicotine pouches use, (21.2%) had tried the pouches before. Among those who had used nicotine pouches, 57 participants (41.0%) reported success in quitting smoking, while 53 participants (38.1%) experienced only a little success, and 29 participants (20.9%) were unsuccessful. The most common adverse effect was nausea (88, 13.4%), followed by fatigue (44, 6.7%) and headache (43, 6.5%). Participants who smoked 4–6 cigarettes per day, 7–9 cigarettes per day, or more than 10 cigarettes per day had higher odds of nicotine pouch use (OR = 3.70,95% CI = 1.14–11.96, p = 0.02), (OR = 6.74,95% CI = 1.71–26.5, p = 0.006) and (OR = 2.59,95% CI = 1.07–6.26, p = 0.03). This study showed a promising result of the use of nicotine pouches and success in quitting smoking in Saudi Arabia population. Most of the side effects reported in the study were mild. However, future studies with larger sample size and analytical design are needed.