TY - JOUR T1 - Rethinking therapeutic and recreational nicotine products: a commentary on Hatsukami <em>et al</em> JF - Tobacco Control JO - Tob Control SP - 245 LP - 245 DO - 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052388 VL - 25 IS - 3 AU - Ron Borland AU - Coral Gartner Y1 - 2016/05/01 UR - http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/25/3/245.abstract N2 - The paper by Hatsukami et al1 in this issue of the journal shows that nicotine gum is at least as effective as snus as a cessation treatment. This result may surprise many, especially those exploring additional benefits of low-toxin tobacco products over pure nicotine as cessation aids. We think it raises two important issues: First, that a product containing only medicinal nicotine could do at least as well as a product with all the attributes of tobacco strongly suggests that the other ingredients in tobacco, such as minor alkaloids, that many have hypothesised as being important may not play much if any role in treating nicotine dependence.The second issue arises from the finding that there was more continued (longer term) use of snus even though it was not rated as potent in quelling cravings. This finding mirrors the situation in Scandinavia where snus use is widespread, but nicotine gum is primarily used for … ER -