Nicotine in smoke-free products

      Nicotine and its role in tobacco harm reduction

      Nicotine is a well-known chemical compound present in the tobacco plant. It is also present in cigarettes, cigars, snus, nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and other smoke-free alternatives. Nicotine is not risk free and is addictive, but it is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. As such, nicotine plays a role in the tobacco harm reduction approach—public health strategy that aims to reduce the health risks associated with smoking. We review here what nicotine is, its effects on the human body, and its role in tobacco harm reduction.

      What is nicotine?

      Nicotine is a naturally occurring organic substance which belongs to a group of chemicals known as alkaloids. Nicotine is produced by plants of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family—which includes all species of Nicotiana plants, also known as tobacco plants, which are notable for containing the highest levels of nicotine. It is also present, in lower concentrations, in related plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.  

      While nicotine in the tobacco plant is thought to be used as a defense mechanism against insects and pathogens, people have, for millennia, recognized the stimulating effects of inhaling the nicotine-containing smoke produced when dried tobacco leaves are burned. Cigarettes, cigars, and other products that burn tobacco are all designed to emit this inhalable nicotine-containing smoke. 

      Chemical structure of nicotine. The nicotine molecule contains 14 hydrogen atoms (white), 10 carbon atoms (black), and 2 nitrogen atoms (blue).

      It is possible to extract nicotine from tobacco for use in products that do not produce smoke such as heated tobacco products (HTPs), nicotine pouches, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, e-cigarettes, and other nontobacco nicotine-containing products. It is also possible to produce synthetic nicotine. While this process is relatively costly, an increasing number of products on the market, such as e-liquids and nicotine pouches, contain synthetic nicotine.

      What are the effects of nicotine use?

      Nicotine binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, which leads to a variety of temporary responses in the body such as elevated heart rate and increased blood pressure. It also triggers the release of neurotransmitters that can reportedly boost energy levels and lead to feelings of pleasure, relaxation, and alertness. As a result, nicotine may stimulate and ultimately affect short-term brain functions such as emotion, learning, and memory. 

      The sustained use of nicotine over time can also lead to changes in the brain’s reward and stress systems, making withdrawal symptoms more likely. Those symptoms are not permanent, and they’re reversible once a person successfully quits and abstains from using tobacco and nicotine-containing products. 

      Nicotine

      Learn more about nicotine

      What is the role of nicotine in harm reduction?

      Nicotine is an important factor in encouraging adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch completely from cigarettes to smoke-free products.  

      Philip Morris International (PMI) has developed smoke-free products that deliver nicotine with significantly lower levels of the harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke. The presence of nicotine in smoke-free products is an important factor—alongside ritual, sensory, and taste elements—that can help adult smokers move away from cigarettes through adoption of smoke-free products.   

      Quitting tobacco and nicotine altogether is the best way that someone who smokes can reduce the risks from smoking. If an adult smoker won’t quit, then switching to a product that doesn’t burn tobacco is a better choice than continuing to smoke cigarettes. The more adult smokers who switch to scientifically substantiated, smoke-free options instead of continuing to smoke, the bigger the impact on reducing harm at a population level.

      Nicotine

      Is nicotine addictive?

      Yes, nicotine is addictive. Nicotine alters the brain’s reward and stress systems, and repeated exposure over time can lead to temporary withdrawal symptoms such as feelings of anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and dysphoria (a feeling of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, or frustration).

       

      These symptoms are a concern for around half of smokers when they initially quit smoking. While quitting smoking can be difficult, it is very much possible, and millions of smokers quit every year.

      Learn more about nicotine and addiction
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      How much nicotine is in smoke-free products compared with cigarettes? 

      As a start, the amount of nicotine that is inside the product (nicotine content) is not the same as the amount that is extracted during product use (nicotine yield) or that is absorbed into the body (nicotine exposure). This varies based on factors such as type of product and duration of use. A single cigarette contains approximately 12 mg of nicotine, while in smoke-free products, the nicotine content varies depending on the nature of the product and the different tobacco or nicotine sources used. For example, the tobacco sticks used for PMI’s Tobacco Heating System (THS), our leading heat-not-burn product, contain on average 4.3-6 mg nicotine per stick, while our nicotine pouches contain 1.5 mg to 10.5 mg per pouch. But in general, it is important to recognize that independent of the route of delivery, the nicotine content in a product is more than the nicotine yield during product use, which is more than the nicotine exposure.​

      Nicotine in our research

      Nicotine is one of the reasons why people smoke together with ritual, taste, social and sensory experiences and therefore, an important factor in encouraging adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch completely from cigarettes to smoke-free products.  

      Read more about the type of research we do on nicotine within the space of tobacco harm reduction and smoke-free alternatives.   

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      PMIScience.com is operated by Philip Morris International for the purpose of publishing and disseminating scientific information about Philip Morris International’s efforts in support of its smoke-free product portfolio. This site is a global site for use by scientists, the public health and regulatory communities, and other stakeholders with an interest in tobacco policy. The purpose of this site is not advertising or marketing, nor is it directed at any specific market. It is not intended for use by consumers. New tobacco products sold in the United States are subject to FDA regulation; therefore the content of this site is not intended to make, and nor should it be construed as making, any product related claims in the United States without proper FDA authorization. ​
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      Reduced Risk Products ("RRPs”) is the term we use to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to these products versus continuing smoking. PMI has a range of RRPs in various stages of development, scientific assessment and commercialization. All of our RRPs are smoke-free products that deliver nicotine with far lower quantities of harmful and potentially harmful constituents than found in cigarette smoke.