Description
Nicotine is no longer consumed exclusively through cigarette smoking: new marketing strategies are focusing on innovative products that appeal to very young people and have the potential to expand the market. Tobacco companies are promoting new products that appear safer and are easier and more discreet to use; however, they continue to pose health risks and can lead to new forms of addiction, even from a very young age. We focus on nicotine pouches – small sachets of nicotine designed to be placed in the mouth – which have already sent some Italian teenagers to ER with nicotine poisoning. What do these pouches actually contain? How much nicotine do they release? Are the labels on the packaging reliable? Is the legal age limit of 18 being respected? These are the questions we intend to answer and the answers we want to share.
Our investigation consists of three parts:
1. A chemical analysis by high-resolution mass spectrometry to test samples from the most popular brands of nicotine pouches sold in Italy. This will determine both the actual nicotine content and any other ingredients they contain.
2. A “mystery shopping” investigation where minors attempt to purchase nicotine pouches at several tobacconists in three majors Italian cities from the northern, central and southern Italy, to assess whether the legal age restriction is being enforced.
3. Monitoring of the promotion activities on nicotine pouches of the tobacco industry. The results will be widely spread using several channels, including communication activities designed and carried out by young people, to enhance a peer-education approach.
“Aware, prepared, engaged. Young people taking the lead in the fight against tobacco and nicotine.” — Eva Benelli, Journalist and co-editor of Scienza in rete
Project Team
Media outlet
Scienza in rete – Zadig SRL Società Benefit
Rome, Italy
http://scienzainrete.it
Eva Benelli
Journalist and co-editor of Scienza in rete
Italy
Research organisation
Instituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS
Milan, Italy
https://www.marionegri.it/
Alice Passoni
Head of Mass Spectrometry for One-Health Unit
Italy
