A Solution To Tobacco Product Pollution By Hikers

By Alexander Allen

We don’t tend to think of hikers or adventurers as having much overlap with tobacco or nicotine users. But just as outdoor adventurers like to go for some of Washington’s best beer, wine, and spirits, plenty like to indulge in tobacco or nicotine products as well. The problem with this is the potential for pollution. Per a study from PMC Labs, cigarette butts and other tobacco product waste (known as "TPW") contains various toxins, carcinogens, and nicotine that can be harmful to the environment. And while this type of waste is most commonly found in urban areas and on beaches, it's a problem in parks, around lakes, and in forested places as well.

If you’re a hiker or you simply enjoy outdoor activities, it’s in your best interest (and everybody’s!) to keep nature as pristine as possible—and keep Washington State as beautiful as ever. And one way to do so is by avoiding tobacco products that produce TPW and finding more responsible alternatives (or helping any tobacco users you may know to do the same).

This has been difficult in the past, but one interesting solution has emerged in recent years in the form of nicotine pouches. These are small fiber pouches that contain nicotine, but no tobacco. Users keep them between their lip and the upper gum line, where they remain lodged until they're removed. While the pouches are in place, the nicotine is slowly absorbed through the gums, effectively providing an alternative to the usual "fix." Prilla notes in a blog post on pouches that this process provides nicotine delivery "without the need for spitting or charging an electronic device," and without having to worry about "where to toss combustibles." These perks amount to less waste; there's no risk of spitting out TPW or carelessly discarding an electronic smoking device. A nicotine pouch can simply be wrapped up like a piece of gum and stored until you find an appropriate place to throw it away.

Beyond waste after use, there's also something to be said for the convenience of nicotine pouches during use (particularly when on the go). Lighting a cigarette and finding a place to throw the match away, or dealing with sticky e-juice can be a pain, and even more so when you’re hiking or enjoying some other outdoor activity. Pouches are a simple, quick solution that come out of a small case akin to what you might find mints in.

Whether you’re hitting the slopes at Snoqualmie, or rock climbing on one of the more than 700 routes in Central Washington, keeping those outdoor areas clean and smoke-free is important for everyone. While air pollution is the biggest problem we face in national parks and other outdoor areas according to Pacific Standard Magazine, every little thing helps. And if these products continue to catch on, they could significantly lower the amount of pollution we see in Washington and in natural areas around the country.