Football is a high-intensity game and requires the utmost level of concentration from players. As spectators, we love the 90-minute joyride the players put on the pitch, but from a footballer’s perspective, it takes a heavy psychological toll.

To cope with the mental and physical stress of the game, many players resort to cigarettes and drinks. Some footballers take a safer route to a much-needed mental escapade, and it’s legal in the UK and many other European nations.

We are talking about nicotine pouches. It is pretty easy to use, and it allows the user to experience the relaxing element of tobacco, without any smoking. While there is no ban on cigarettes, nicotine pouches are categorized as abusive substances.

In reality, nicotine pouches and cigarettes are mostly alike, and there is no evidence that shows that nicotine pouches pose a more dangerous threat to our healths. On the contrary, many studies indicate that nicotine pouches could be a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes.

Nicotine pouches has become an indispensable part of Swedish culture over the years. Unlike other European nations, the consumption of nicotine pouches is not frowned upon in the Scandinavian country. Let’s take a look at some statistics that could give us an idea about the dangers associated with nicotine pouches and cigarettes.

In reality, Sweden, where people prefer using nicotine pouches over cigarettes, does not rank anywhere in the top 25 list of World Cancer Research Fund. UK, on the other hand, appears 24th on the highest lung cancer rate.

A 2009 paper argues that if the entirety of Europe had similar nicotine pouches consumption trends to Sweden, lung cancer mortality would have fallen by 54% in the continent.

Prominent football stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, and Victor Lindelof are known admirers of the nicotine pouches. In his autobiography Jamie Vardy: From Nowhere, My Story, the Leicester City star openly wrote about his experience. The 34-year-old claimed it helped him to focus better and perform at his best level.

However, there is no established proof that concludes nicotine pouches give footballers an unfair advantage over their competitors. It’s a stress reliever, just like cigarettes. If cigarettes are not contraband, it’s illogical to prohibit nicotine pouches.

Nicotine pouches can be a better way for cigarette smoking athletes to get over the heavy strain that accompanies the lives of professional sportspersons. Hopefully, more conclusive studies will be conducted regarding this matter, and nicotine pouches will become a norm rather than a taboo among tobacco-loving athletes.