New Silicon Valley perk: nicotine pouches to make you work harder
We love an in-office perk, sure, but that typically means free pastries — not nicotine pouches. Nicotine, most commonly associated with cigarettes, has long been available in a variety of alternative formats — e.g., vaping, patches, gums, etc. — as a cessation tool for smokers who’d like to quit. However, non-smokers — especially tech workers in Silicon Valley — have begun using nicotine as a stimulant, per The Wall Street Journal. This has led some companies to offer it the way others provide protein bars and kombucha on tap. Why? And also, how?One study found that nicotine can have brain-boosting benefits, improving memory, attention, and cognitive processing. Alex Cohen, founder of an AI health-tech startup, told WSJ that, as someone with ADHD, it helps him focus. The preferred method of delivery is a flavored pouch, such as those produced by startups Lucy Nicotine and Sesh, that people tuck between their gums and teeth. Palantir Technologies currently has a vending machine from each brand in its Washington, D.C., office, with pouches free for anyone 21 and up. Is it dangerous? Compared to smoking cigarettes — the leading risk factor for lung cancer — no. But nicotine is still an addictive substance with potential negative health outcomes. A Swedish dentist told the BBC about some gnarly gum lesions he’d seen among pouch users that were so deep, the roots of nearby teeth were visible. There’s also concern that pouch users might seek out nicotine in other more harmful forms, including cigarettes. And perhaps it's mildly dystopian to think about companies supplying a habit-forming substance that makes workers more productive... until you remember that’s also coffee.
