Prevalence, Safety, Perceptions, and Association of Nicotine Pouches (DZRT) with Smoking Cessation Among Adult Smokers in Abha City, Saudi Arabia
VOLUME 23, 2026
The Role of Targeted Infra-popliteal Endovascular Angioplasty to Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers Using the Angiosome Model: A Systematic Review
VOLUME 6, 2023
Resident doctor of Preventive Medicine, Aseer Health Cluster, Ministry of Health
Department of Preventive Medicine Armed Forces Hospitals Southern Region, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia
Senior Registrar of Preventive Medicine, Aseer Health Cluster, Ministry of Health
Abstract
Background: Oral nicotine pouches are tobacco-free products increasingly marketed as smoke-free alternatives to combustible tobacco. Regional data on their prevalence, safety, and relationship with smoking cessation in southern Saudi Arabia remain scarce. Objective: To determine the prevalence and patterns of DZRT nicotine pouch use among adults in Abha City, and to examine its association with smoking status and smoking cessation. Methods: A cross-sectional, community-based online survey was conducted among 655 adults in Abha City in 2026. Data were analyzed using SPSS v29. Chi-square tests examined categorical associations, and multivariate logistic regression identified independent predictors of DZRT use. Results: The prevalence of ever having used DZRT nicotine pouches was 27.5% (180/655). Among nicotine-pouch users with a smoking history, former smokers were significantly more likely than current smokers to report having quit smoking (83.2% vs. 20.6%; χ² = 60.879, p < 0.001; Kendall's τ-b = 0.621). On multivariate logistic regression, DZRT use was independently associated with male sex (OR 8.05, 95% CI 2.18–29.75), current smoking (OR 41.60) and former smoking (OR 54.81) relative to never-smoking, younger age (18–44 years; OR 41.18), and the belief that nicotine-replacement products are a healthy alternative (OR 6.44) (Nagelkerke R² = 0.740). The most frequently reported adverse effects among users were gastrointestinal symptoms (37.2%) and anxiety/stress (32.8%). Conclusion: DZRT nicotine pouch use was common among adult smokers in Abha City and was strongly associated with a history of tobacco use and self-reported cessation. While the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, these findings support a possible role for nicotine pouches in smoking cessation behavior, alongside a need for continued safety surveillance given the frequency of self-reported psychological and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Lecture in accounting. University of Basrah, College of Administration and Economics, Department of Accounting.