Oral nicotine pouches have arrived at U.S. college campuses

Objective: Examine trends in the prevalence of oral nicotine pouch (ONP) use among U.S. college students. Participants: During the Spring 2025 semester (January-early May), we enrolled 578 undergraduate and 888 graduate students from a large Midwestern University. Methods: Students completed an online survey assessing ONP use and their reasons for use/nonuse. Their history of using other substances and sociodemographic characteristics were also assessed. Results: For the undergraduate and graduate samples, ever use of ONPs was 15.4% and 11.4%, respectively; monthly use was 2.9% and 2.5%, respectively. Prevalence was elevated in particular subgroups, such as undergraduate students who were members of a fraternity (41.2% ever ONP use). For both samples, the most commonly cited reason for ONP use was “I like the buzz.” Conclusions: ONPs have become popular on U.S. college campuses. This trend has implications for nicotine addiction and underscores the need for further research and attention from public health.