Survey Shows Inflation Leads Smokers to Cheaper Cigarettes over Alternative Products

Consumers uninformed about harm reduction products

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New inflation survey data examining the opinion of smokers found that, due to higher prices, smokers were more likely to switch to cheaper cigarettes rather than less expensive as well as less harmful alternative nicotine products. In examining smoker attitudes, this survey also found a lack of education regarding harm reduction products, with almost a third of smokers surveyed saying that nicotine pouches were more harmful than traditional cigarettes.

"In times of rising inflation, it is even more critical that smokers are well informed about the benefits of harm reduction products as it is an opportunity both for health and wallet," said Markus Lindblad, head of external affairs at Nicokick. "Instead of switching to a lower-cost traditional cigarette due to rising prices, a better outcome would be switching to cheaper, harm-reduced alternative products like nicotine pouches, gum, or lozenges. Unfortunately, this survey found many smokers are not aware of the health benefits of switching to alternative products like nicotine pouches, and it is incumbent upon policymakers to address this misconception if they are serious about better public health outcomes."

More results from the survey:

• Half of Americans say more education on the less harmful nature of alternative nicotine products would help them switch from cigarettes to products like vapes or nicotine pouches.
• Only 21% of those surveyed view nicotine pouches as less harmful than cigarettes, with an astounding 30% saying that nicotine pouches are more harmful than traditional cigarettes.
• 36% of respondents said vaping was more harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes.

About Nicokick:

Nicokick is the world's leading e-commerce company in the smokeless industry, present in seven countries where we served more than 680,000 active consumers during 2021. As users move away from traditional tobacco products toward healthier smokeless options, Nicokick's sales have continued to surge over the past two years throughout the country. The site is quickly becoming a one-stop shop for consumers interested in learning more about and purchasing smokeless tobacco products. To learn more about Nicokick, visit the website at: https://nicokick.com/learn-more.

SOURCE Nicokick