How 'tobacco-free' oral nicotine pouches affect perceptions and use in smokers and non-nicotine users
Novel "Tobacco-Free" Oral Nicotine Pouches: The impact of Product Features and Marketing Influences on Abuse Liability, Perceptions, and Use Behavior in Smokers and Non-Nicotine Users
This project looks at how 'tobacco-free' nicotine pouches and their advertising influence what adults who smoke or who don't use nicotine think about and how they might use these products.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11303298 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a participant's point of view, researchers will use human lab tests, real-world marketing monitoring, and online experiments to identify which product features and ads make these pouches appealing. Lab visits will measure nicotine exposure and immediate responses, marketing surveillance will track how the products are promoted and sold, and web-based experiments will test how labels, flavors, and 'tobacco-free' claims change perceptions and interest. The team will compare adults who currently smoke with adults who do not use nicotine to see which features encourage switching versus starting use. The work is designed to produce clear, practical findings that regulators and public-health groups can use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who currently smoke and adults who do not use nicotine (typically adults meeting the legal purchase age) are the main groups who may be invited to join lab visits or online experiments.
Not a fit: People under the legal age for tobacco product purchase (minors), pregnant people, and those not represented in the study groups may not receive direct benefit or be eligible to participate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could help regulators limit misleading marketing to protect young people and guide safer options for adult smokers who might switch.
How similar studies have performed: Industry data show these pouches can deliver nicotine similar to smokeless tobacco, but independent public research on their marketing effects and appeal is limited, so this combined lab-and-marketing approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spindle, Tory Richard — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Spindle, Tory Richard
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.