Using language to highlight that oral nicotine is tobacco-free may convey oral nicotine products as lower-risk to consumers despite the lack of evidence or proper federal authorization that oral nicotine products are a modified-risk tobacco product.
“Our findings underscore the need for future experimental studies to examine the influence of claims that oral nicotine is “tobacco-free,” made through a “simple” process, and any other relevant ingredient-related claim (e.g., “pharmaceutical grade”) on harm perceptions among consumers,” the authors write. “Such evidence can further inform the FDA authority over false or misleading claims in tobacco product advertising.”
The availability of increasingly popular oral nicotine products in flavors coupled with evidence of marketing the products as alternatives to existing tobacco products calls for greater attention and regulation from the FDA.