TOBACCO
Synthetic Nicotine in the Spotlight Regulation looms as manufacturers, retailers and consumers embrace lab-derived nicotine By Renée M. Covino IN THE TOBACCO WORLD, man-made options are rising to the top. Synthetic nicotine, also known as tobacco-free nicotine, is one of the options gaining traction.
“Scientifically manufactured in state-of-the-art laboratories, synthetic nicotine doesn’t contain any part of the tobacco leaf, stem or waste,” explained Lee Probst, vice president of sales at synthetic nicotine product manufacturer Ignite. “This means that it doesn’t have the tar and other unhealthy components of tobacco. The value to the tobacco industry is that it now gives a cleaner alternative to traditional tobacco.” The use of synthetically made nicotine in vapor, oral and other alternative tobacco products is a direct result of consumer demand, according to the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free
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Alternatives Association (CASAA), which maintains that more than 23 million Americans currently use vapor and modern oral products. With this consumer demand, however, comes the threat of regulation. CASAA was founded in 2009 to raise awareness and protect consumer access to reduced harm alternatives to smoking. The nonprofit organization promotes the availability and protection of smoke-free alternatives to combustible tobacco. “Synthetic nicotine presents regulators with an opportunity to optimize the public health benefits of nicotine from smoke-free sources. Namely, allowing the use of synthetic nicotine in products that are attracting and diverting people away from smoking,” the association states.
