Mislabeling of ‘Nicotine-Free’ Products – New Research Findings
I received the following email from Joel Spitzer. For those of you not familiar with Joel, he devoted nearly 50 years toward helping smokers quit and youth smoking prevention. His website WhyQuit is an invaluable resource for people looking to quit smoking, and by extension, smokeless tobacco and all nicotine products (pouches, Snus, etc.). I’m sharing the email he sent below, with his permission.
Subject: Important Alert: Mislabeling of “Nicotine-Free” Products – New Research Findings
Dear Moderators and Administrators,
I’m reaching out to two distinct audiences with this message—those I’ve shared resources with previously, and others I’ve never contacted who may be unfamiliar with my work. Regardless of whether we’ve connected before, I believe this information is critical to protecting your members’ quit attempts.
After several years in retirement, I’ve released a new video and resource page addressing a serious and growing threat to successful quitters: the widespread mislabeling of products marketed as “nicotine-free.” Recent research has found that up to 43% of products labeled as containing no nicotine do contain nicotine. Additionally, some manufacturers are exploiting regulatory loopholes by using synthetic nicotine analogs—such as 6-methyl nicotine—while still labeling their products as “nicotine-free.”
Why This Matters for Your Members:
People who have successfully quit nicotine and believe they’re occasionally using truly nicotine-free products—whether influenced by online claims about their “safety” or offered by well-meaning friends or family—may unknowingly re-administer nicotine and reignite their addiction. This risk applies regardless of whether someone quit cigarettes, vaping, pouches, or any other nicotine delivery system.
The resource is available here:
https://whyquit.com/joels-videos/the-hidden-risks-of-nicotine-free-products/
Important Note:
This is strictly an informational alert based on recent research into product mislabeling. I remain in retirement and am not seeking to engage directly with your members or promote any particular quitting method. I understand that some groups may have concerns regarding my positions on topics like cold turkey quitting or relapse terminology. This resource does not address those issues—it’s focused solely on protecting existing quits from a deceptive and dangerous industry practice.
I hope you’ll consider sharing this alert with your members. These research findings are relevant to anyone who has successfully broken free from nicotine—regardless of how they achieved it.
Thank you for your time and for the vital work you do in supporting people on their quit journeys.
Best regards,
Joel Spitzer
