Nicotine pouches can be a better alternative to cigarettes says CEO

Reducing cigarette use, and preventing a new generation from becoming addicted to nicotine, is a noble goal. That’s one of the reasons James Monsees and Adam Bowen founded JUUL Labs, as a less harmful alternative for adult smokers. But a combination of regulatory missteps by a hostile Food and Drug Administration and market loopholes has opened the door to a wave of counterfeit and smuggled e-cigarettes, which are often imported from China, sold in local stores, are highly addictive, and are completely unregulated. Many people have become ill due to the use of e-cigarettes with unknown ingredients. Teenagers were easily able to access illicit e-cigarettes from China in youth-friendly flavors. What started as an idealistic goal — getting adult smokers off cigarettes — has turned into a new epidemic.

Now we have two problems: cigarettes and fumes.

I believe that science and technology can solve both. I was a tobacco user and became addicted to vaping. I have tried everything to quit smoking and reduce nicotine use. Eventually, I discovered white Swedish-style bags. This experience led me to create Sesh+, a premium tobacco-free nicotine pouch made with clear ingredients. It’s personally changed my life: I haven’t vaped since I switched to pods. In Sweden, where oral nicotine products have been widely used for decades, smoking rates are among the lowest in Europe, and smoking-related illnesses are correspondingly lower.

There is increasing evidence that nicotine itself, although addictive, is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases; It’s the toxic byproducts of combustion that kill. With regard to vaping, the concern is different: it is the lack of transparency and quality standards that should worry us. As a health-conscious consumer, I want to know exactly what I’m putting into my body. That’s why our bags are independently lab tested for contaminants like heavy metals and are manufactured in the USA under strict quality controls.

Counterfeit nicotine pouches are already on the American market. Sophia Hamilton writes for a reason That her favorite store was selling fake nicotine pouches without her knowledge, and how could only someone familiar with the FDA’s nicotine rules know the difference. No one has to be an expert on nicotine policy just to know whether a product is safe or not.

Important questions remain. We don’t want to create a product that will appeal to people who don’t already use nicotine. The average Sesh+ customer is over 35 years old, and I’m very proud of that. Early data is encouraging: A recent Rutgers University study found that the number of new nicotine users taking pods is still very low. The government has a responsibility to keep the black market and counterfeit bags out of the hands of consumers. The industry must ensure that retailers are educated and know what they are selling. We need strong laws to prevent youth.

Nicotine pouches will only be effective if industry and government work together to ensure they do not attract young people or non-nicotine users.

In the UK, a proposed Tobacco and Vaping Bill would prevent people born in 2009 or later from purchasing nicotine products at all. In the United States, we have already raised the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21 years. These are the kind of measures our industry should support. If the legislation is passed in the UK, I hope other countries will adopt similar policies to prevent young people from accessing nicotine products. I also hope to see product verification technology adopted as an industry standard so that counterfeit nicotine products never reach consumers. Age verification is not enough; We must ensure that a market for counterfeit and smuggled nicotine pods does not emerge.

If the nicotine pod companies work together, we can learn from JUUL’s experience and avoid repeating the same mistakes. Our responsibility is clear: to help adult smokers transition to less harmful alternatives, without creating a new generation of nicotine users. If we succeed in achieving this goal, a tobacco-free world will be more than just an aspiration. It is achievable.

Max Cunningham is the CEO of Sesh+, a nicotine pod company based in Austin, Texas and backed by 8VC. The opinions expressed in Fortune.com reviews are solely those of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.