The Dutch health institute RIVM investigated the concentrations of nicotine that smokers of tobacco-free nicotine sticks ingest, and concluded that these are up to 25 times higher than previously calculated advisory values.

By the web editor

The emissions of tobacco-free nicotine sticks for use in heating devices contain much more nicotine than the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) advises. This is evident from a Knowledge paper from the institute.

In May, the RIVM published a so-called letter report in which advisory values ​​are given for exposure to nicotine via inhalation from a tobacco-free nicotine product where no harmful effects of nicotine are expected. This was at the request of the government, which plans to impose requirements on these types of products under the amendment to the Tobacco Act that came into effect on 1 January. Because the sticks do not contain tobacco, but cellulose fibres or rooibos tea, they do not fall under the current European legislation. Tobacco-free nicotine sticks have been on the Dutch market since last year.

25 and 18 times more than recommended

In the Knowledge paper published last week, the emissions of four sticks available in the Netherlands were compared with the previously established recommended values. These values ​​were determined based on two important health effects: systemic toxicity (a higher heart rate) and local toxicity (irritation of the respiratory tract). The RIVM concludes that for systemic toxicity, no more than 0.028 mg of nicotine may be present in the emissions of a tobacco-free nicotine product for inhalation, and for local toxicity a maximum concentration of 0.07 mg/L. To provide good protection against both types of toxicity, both values ​​must be applied to tobacco-free nicotine sticks.

The reality turns out to be different: sticks from Philip Morris (Levia) and British American Tobacco (Veo) deliver 0.7 mg and 1.0 mg of nicotine respectively. For Levia, this is 25 times higher than the lower limit for systemic toxicity and 18 times for local toxicity. The Veo sticks are therefore even higher.

Measured with WHO Intense

Remarkable detail: in the absence of a legally prescribed measurement method for determining nicotine levels in emissions from sticks (with or without tobacco), “a validated smoking protocol for cigarettes was used that simulates consumer use as accurately as possible”, according to a description of the research methodology. This turns out to be the WHO Intense method, which Youth Smoking Prevention has been fighting to have introduced for cigarettes since 2019. A conclusion on this matter is expected on 10 July from the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice in the case in which Youth Smoking Prevention was previously proven right.