The performance attributed to nicotine demystified

According to Hasmeena Kathuria, a professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a recent phenomenon is developing on social media, in certain podcasts, wellness communities, and tech startups.[1] Nicotine is presented as a product that can improve concentration, productivity, or cognitive performance. This trend applies particularly to nicotine sachets, but also to combinations with caffeine or substances marketed as "nootropics," supposedly designed to enhance certain cognitive functions. These arguments are based in particular on the fact that nicotine is a substance naturally present in tobacco, but also, in trace amounts, in certain plants of the nightshade family. Studies have also shown that it can temporarily affect certain brain functions. In connection with the launch of new nicotine products on the market, manufacturers deploy communication and marketing strategies. Among the claims that are gaining traction is the assertion that nicotine improves cognitive function, promotes well-being, or contributes to healthy aging. However, extrapolating these observations to general benefits for well-being, productivity, longevity, or cognitive health goes beyond the available data in humans.

Nicotine and the brain: a substance that leads to addiction

Nicotine is the primary factor responsible for addiction to tobacco products and other non-medicinal nicotine products. It acts primarily on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, which is involved in reward mechanisms. This stimulation can temporarily increase alertness and attention, but repeated exposure leads to adaptations in the brain: the receptors become less sensitive and their number increases, contributing to the development of addiction. Nicotine also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which increases heart rate and blood pressure and disrupts sleep.

The effects of nicotine are particularly concerning at certain stages of human development. Prenatal exposure to nicotine is associated with adverse effects on fetal development, while exposure during adolescence can alter neural systems involved in attention, learning, and reward mechanisms. Finally, nicotine induces stress and impairs sleep quality.

Concentration, stress and aging: benefits that remain to be proven

Some studies indicate that nicotine may temporarily improve attention, alertness, reaction time, or certain forms of working memory. However, the results remain variable. In people with nicotine addiction, some of the improvement felt after using nicotine simply corresponds to a reduction in withdrawal symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating, irritability, or anxiety. Therefore, the available data do not allow us to establish that nicotine itself improves intelligence, creativity, executive functions, academic performance, or work productivity; the opposite has been demonstrated in young people. Similarly, claims that it reduces stress, improves mood, or prevents depression are not supported by current data. In fact, studies show the opposite: that quitting smoking is associated, in the long term, with a reduction in stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

Furthermore, hypotheses concerning the prevention of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or cognitive decline are based primarily on laboratory or animal research. Studies in humans have not demonstrated that nicotine prevents these diseases, slows their progression, or promotes longevity.

Distinguishing between tobacco, commercial nicotine, and therapeutic nicotine

The health risks of smoking stem largely from tobacco combustion, which produces thousands of toxic substances, including carcinogens, carbon monoxide, and fine particulate matter. This exposure is responsible for cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic respiratory illnesses, in addition to the inherent effects of nicotine: addiction and its effects on the brain and cardiovascular system. Other non-combustible nicotine products, such as pouches, do not present the same exposure profile as cigarettes, but their use still exposes users to the risks of nicotine toxicity and addiction, regardless of other product-related risk factors.

Finally, nicotine replacement therapies (particularly patches, gum, or lozenges) are a separate case: they are used in a medical setting to reduce withdrawal symptoms and facilitate smoking cessation. Their therapeutic use is characterized by limited dosages and a limited duration of use.

The challenges of ensuring the effectiveness of protective prohibitions

In France, advertising and promotion of vaping products are prohibited, while Nicotine sachets and other oral products containing nicotine are also prohibited from being possessed, sold, and used., with the exception of nicotine replacement therapies.

Despite these measures, exposure to online promotional content remains a concern, particularly on social media. ANSES (the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety) reported in November 2023 that advertising for nicotine pouches was significant on social media, targeting young consumers.[2]. In this context, public health experts such as the National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT) recommend a strict and effective ban on all online advertising and promotion of nicotine products, including through influencers, sponsored content, and indirect marketing strategies. The goal is to limit young people's exposure to products that can lead to nicotine addiction and to prevent digital platforms from being used to circumvent restrictions applicable to other forms of advertising. Adding to the challenge of this ban is the need to prohibit the online sale of vaping products. According to public health stakeholders, this coherent approach is likely to prevent the various loopholes used by manufacturers to continue promoting their products.

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[1]Hasmeena Kathuria, How the pro‑nicotine 'wellness' movement rebranded an addictive drug, The Conversation, published on September 22, 2026, accessed on September 23, 2026

[2]Several nicotine-based products will soon be banned in France., Public Service, published on September 10, 2025, accessed on September 23, 2026

National Committee Against Smoking |