Disturbing reports have emerged about children in the United States accidentally ingesting nicotine pouches, with several kids as young as under six years of age ending in intensive care after consuming the addictive substance. According to study published in July, nicotine poisonings among US children have risen significantly due to a recent surge in sales of nicotine pouches.
How young US children are getting access to nicotine pouches?
As per the study published in the Pediatrics, a journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in most cases, young children often find nicotine pouches lying around in areas they can easily access. Healthcare providers suggest adults not to use the product in front of kids as they are likely mimic adult behavior, and keep it locked away in areas where children cannot access them, liked a locked cabinet or an almirah.
“Kids are incredibly curious. They’re very resourceful, and they want to do what adults do,” says Dr Molly O’Shea, a Michigan-based pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Natalie Rine, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s hospital and an author of the study, believes more access or increased popularity of an item results in the more children being exposed to the product.
The study revealed that while most children who ingested nicotine pouches got away with minor or no effect, there were 39 cases with major medical outcomes.
Why nicotine pouches are becoming popular?
According to reports, nicotine pouches, which contain flavored nicotine, surged in popularity in a short period of time in the United States, with sales jumping by a whopping 763% in just three years.
One brand of nicotine pouches that has become particularly popular is Zyn, which is made by Stockholm-based Swedish Match, a company owned by cigarette maker Philip Morris International. The brand is promoted by popular right-wing figures, including Tucker Carlson, and #Zyn often trends on TikTok, with one video accumulating over 700 million views on the platform.
Healthcare professionals have accused Zyn of targeting children and teens by making the product more attractive to them, offering flavors like citrus and mint. “As a result of it not being in an oil like in a vape pen, or in a leaf like tobacco, there really isn’t as much negative taste associated with it for a young child to spit it out, and it’s therefore more appealing if you were to discover it as a young kid,” said Dr O’Shea.
Nicotine pouches, akin to other tobacco products, can elevate a person’s mood and their focus, but “if if you’re a teeny tiny person, it can poison you. It can increase your heart rate and blood pressure so much that it causes your heart to fail, and that’s why it’s such a big problem,” O’Shea added.
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