Other tobacco-related and nicotine-containing products have appeared in the past few years. Because they are not marketed to treat nicotine addiction, the FDA doesn’t consider them drugs and doesn’t regulate them. Some may be helpful, but none of these products have been proven to work to help people quit using tobacco.
Non-tobacco snuff products
These are sold in grocery and convenience stores, online, or by mail order. They are packaged like moist snuff in a tin and come in different flavors. They are made from plants or herbs such as tea, clover, mint leaves, kudzu, or alfalfa. Some have added flavors and moisteners like glycerin. At least one contains an herb called guarana, which has quite a bit of caffeine in it.
Non-tobacco snuffs can be used alone or mixed with regular snuff as a person is trying to cut down on tobacco. They are generally considered safe as long as you are not allergic to anything in them, but they have not been reviewed by the FDA. One study that used mint snuff as a substitute found that it helped reduce cravings in smokeless tobacco users who were trying to quit. But those who used the mint snuff were no more likely to quit tobacco than those who didn’t. If you choose to try a non-tobacco snuff, check the ingredient list to see what you are getting.
Nicotine lollipops and lip balms
In the past, some pharmacies made a product called a nicotine lollipop. These lollipops often contained a product called nicotine salicylate, which is not approved by the FDA for pharmacy use. The FDA has warned pharmacies to stop selling nicotine lollipops and lip balm, calling the products “illegal.” The FDA also said “the candy-like products present a risk of accidental use by children.”
Other smoking cessation products like these that do not use nicotine salicylate may be legal if they are prescribed by a doctor. But they still pose a risk for children and pets if they are not well-labeled, stored safely, and disposed of where children and pets cannot get them.
Nicotine water and nicotine wafers
These products have been sold as ways to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed. They are not marketed as aids to quitting smoking, but questions about their safety and legality have been raised. Some of these formulas can be quite dangerous if accidentally taken by children or pets, so they must be stored carefully.
Tobacco lozenges and pouches
Lozenges that contain tobacco (like Ariva® and Stonewall®) and small pouches of tobacco (like Revel® and Exalt®) are now being marketed as other ways for smokers to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed. They are not sold as ways to quit tobacco. The FDA has also ruled that these are types of smokeless tobacco, not aids to quit smoking or wean off tobacco. There is no reason to think these products would have fewer health risks than more common forms of smokeless tobacco.
Snus
Swedish snus has been used by many smokers in Scandinavia to quit smoking cigarettes. At this time, this use of snus has not been tested in controlled clinical trials. Snus contains tobacco and is no safer than more common forms of smokeless tobacco. There are also health risks linked to snus that are not linked to non-tobacco quit methods that must be considered.
Other quitting aids that do not contain tobacco or nicotine
Other tools may also help some people, but there is no strong proof that they can improve their chances of quitting.
Hypnosis
Hypnosis methods vary a great deal, which makes hypnosis hard to study as a way to quit tobacco. For the most part, reviews that looked at controlled studies of hypnosis to help people quit smoking have not supported it as a quitting method that works. As a way to quit using smokeless tobacco, hypnosis has been studied even less. Still, it might be useful for some people. If you would like to try it, ask your doctor to recommend a good hypnotherapist.
Acupuncture
This method has been used for quitting tobacco, but there is little evidence to show that it works. It involves putting small needles into the skin, usually around the ears. (For more information on acupuncture, see our document, Acupuncture.) For a list of local doctors who do acupuncture, contact the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture online at www.medicalacupuncture.org, or call 323-937-5514.
Laser therapy
This technique, also called cold laser therapy, is related to acupuncture. Despite claims of success by some cold laser therapy providers, there is no scientific evidence that shows this helps people stop using tobacco. (See our document called Cold Laser Therapy for more information.)
Tobacco deterrents
These include over-the-counter products that change the taste of tobacco, “quitting diets” that are supposed to curb nicotine cravings, and combinations of vitamins. There is little scientific evidence to support claims that any of these methods work.
Herbs and supplements
Because they are sold as dietary supplements (not drugs), these products don’t need FDA approval. This means that the manufacturers don’t have to prove they work, or even that they’re safe. Be sure to look closely at the label of any product that claims it can help you quit tobacco. Dietary supplements and homeopathic remedies have no proven track record of helping people quit tobacco (see our document, Homeopathy).
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