New Product Marketing Blurs the Line Between Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Smokeless Tobacco Products

Abstract

Tobacco companies have begun to acquire pharmaceutical subsidiaries and recently started to market nicotine replacement therapies, such as Zonnic nicotine gum, in convenience stores. Conversely, tobacco companies are producing tobacco products such as tobacco chewing gum and lozenges that resemble pharmaceutical nicotine replacement products, including a nicotine pouch product that resembles snus pouches. This convergence of nicotine and tobacco product marketing has implications for regulation and tobacco cessation.

FIGURE 1—

Images of (a) a Zonnic Display From a Promotional Video Created by Reynolds American Inc. and (b) an Actual In-Store Zonnic Counter Display in Ames, IA Note. Photographs by Garin Buttermore, printed with permission.

FIGURE 2—

Images of (a) Camel Snus Pouches and (b) Zonnic NRT Pouches Produced by Niconovum AB Note. Photographs (a) by Ganna Kostygina, printed with permission and (b) Niconovum AB, printed with permission.