Online influencers are rebranding nicotine as a natural health hack, claiming pouches, gum, and patches improve cognition, boost productivity, and aid weight management. Nicotine, a stimulant in tobacco plants, is highly addictive due to dopamine release.
While nicotine replacement products-especially oral pouches-have seen 113% annual global growth from 2020 to 2024, research on consuming nicotine alone remains limited. Biohackers have exaggerated its stimulating qualities.
'They take a kernel of truth and run with it,' said Angela Difeng Wu, a researcher at Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. 'Short-term effects on alertness and appetite don't translate into a wellness treatment.'
Wu stressed that becoming dependent on nicotine is itself a harm. While safer than cigarettes for smokers trying to quit, it poses addiction risks for never-smokers.
The trend coincides with the booming nootropics market, driven by functional drinks expected to reach $300-400 billion by the mid-2030s. Influencers profit by framing nicotine as a fast fix for complex psychological issues.
'People are more willing to listen to an influencer than official sources,' Wu noted. The UK recently passed an anti-tobacco bill restricting sales to those born after 2008, including vapes, but experts say regulations must consider cultural context and the distinct harm profile of nicotine versus smoking.