Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, 3010, Australia.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2024 Nov 1;264:112428. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112428. Epub 2024 Aug 28.
Despite increasing interest in the use of nicotine pouches in Australia - where retail sale of the products is illegal - research exploring patterns of pouch use and reasons for use is lacking. Accordingly, this study explored young Australians' experiences with nicotine pouches.
An online survey was administered to 1598 Australians aged 16-39 years (53 % women). We assessed (i) awareness and use (lifetime and past 30-day) of nicotine pouches, (ii) patterns of use (e.g., flavours and nicotine strength used), (iii) product source, and (iv) reasons for use. Regression analyses were conducted to assess socio-demographic predictors of awareness and use.
Just over three-quarters (77 %) of the sample reported being aware of nicotine pouches. Lifetime use was reported by 26 % of respondents and past 30-day use by 19 %. Among those who reported past 30-day use, fruit (35 %) and menthol/mint (34 %) flavours were most commonly used. In terms of pouch source, one-third (33 %) reported obtaining the product from a tobacconist. The most common reasons for use were "they come in flavours I like" (34 %) and "to help me quit smoking" (32 %). Awareness, lifetime use, and past 30-day use of nicotine pouches were more likely among men, those who reported current use of tobacco products, and those who reported current use of e-cigarettes.
Awareness and use of nicotine pouches among young Australians may be substantial enough to warrant the inclusion of items measuring pouch use in national surveys. Efforts should be made to better enforce existing laws regarding the sale of nicotine pouches.
尽管在澳大利亚，人们对尼古丁袋的使用兴趣日益浓厚——尽管这些产品的零售是非法的——但缺乏探索使用模式和使用原因的研究。因此，本研究探讨了年轻澳大利亚人使用尼古丁袋的经历。
对 1598 名年龄在 16 至 39 岁的澳大利亚人（53%为女性）进行了在线调查。我们评估了（i）尼古丁袋的知晓和使用情况（终生和过去 30 天），（ii）使用模式（例如使用的口味和尼古丁强度），（iii）产品来源，以及（iv）使用原因。回归分析用于评估社会人口统计学因素对知晓和使用的预测作用。
略多于四分之三（77%）的样本报告知晓尼古丁袋。26%的受访者报告有终生使用，19%的受访者报告过去 30 天内使用过。在过去 30 天内使用过尼古丁袋的受访者中，水果（35%）和薄荷/薄荷醇（34%）口味最常见。在尼古丁袋来源方面，三分之一（33%）的人表示从烟草零售商处获得该产品。使用尼古丁袋的最常见原因是“它们有我喜欢的口味”（34%）和“帮助我戒烟”（32%）。男性、报告当前使用烟草制品以及报告当前使用电子烟的人，更有可能知晓、终生使用和过去 30 天内使用尼古丁袋。
在年轻的澳大利亚人中，对尼古丁袋的知晓和使用可能相当普遍，足以证明在全国性调查中纳入测量尼古丁袋使用情况的项目是合理的。应努力加强有关尼古丁袋销售的现有法律。
