Nicotine pouches under the microscope: do they hook new users?
NCT ID NCT07128329
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study at Johns Hopkins University is testing nicotine pouches (like Zyn) in 120 adults—60 regular smokers and 60 people who rarely use nicotine. Participants will use the pouches in two lab sessions while researchers measure how much nicotine gets into the blood, how appealing the product feels, and any withdrawal symptoms. The goal is to help the FDA understand the potential impact of these products on both users and non-users.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Nicotine pouches (Zyn)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help regulators understand the potential risks and appeal of nicotine pouches, informing public health decisions.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early Phase 1 lab study with only 120 participants, so results may not reflect real-world use or long-term effects.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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About 120 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2025
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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21 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria (all participants): * greater than or equal to 21 years old * good general health based on screening procedures * vital signs in normal range (resting heart rate less than 110bpm, systolic blood pressure less than 150mmHg, diastolic blood pressure less than 100mmHg) * negative urine test for illicit drug use (excluding THC) and negative breath alcohol test at screening and before each session * no self-reported prior use of oral nicotine pouches * Not actively trying to quit smoking or using smoking cessation medication (e.g., nicotine replacement therapy) Additional inclusion criteria (smokers): * self-report currently smoking cigarettes daily * exhaled breath CO greater than or equal to 10ppm and urine cotinine greater than 100 ng/ml at screening * meet criteria for tobacco use disorder * no self-reported regular use of other tobacco products (e.g., smokeless products, e-cigarettes) in the past 30 days Additional inclusion criteria (non-nicotine users): * self-report previously using nicotine/tobacco but no more than 100 lifetime uses across all routes of administration * no self-reported nicotine/tobacco uses in the past 30 days * urine cotinine less than 100 ng/ml at screening. Exclusion criteria (all participants): * psychoactive drug use (aside from cannabis, nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine) in past month * current use of OTC drugs, supplements/vitamins, or prescription medications that, in the opinion of medical staff, will impact safety * currently have severe dependence for cannabis * history of or current significant medical condition that, in the opinion of medical staff, will impact safety * current psychiatric condition or substance use disorder (aside from tobacco use disorder for smokers), that, in the opinion of medical staff, will impact safety * women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (Bayview)
RECRUITINGBaltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States
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