In a surprising new trend sweeping through the competitive world of technology, startups are now offering free nicotine pouches as a workplace perk to enhance productivity and focus. This practice, mirroring earlier trends like free snacks and gourmet coffee, is raising eyebrows and health concerns in equal measure.
The New Office Amenity: Pouches in the Pantry
The scene is now common in some tech hubs: a fridge in the office kitchen, not stocked with energy drinks, but with tins of flavoured nicotine pouches. These small, white pouches, the size of a piece of gum, are placed between the gum and cheek. They come in flavours like mango, espresso, and mint, offering a discreet nicotine hit without smoke or vapour.
Alex Cohen, a startup founder based in Austin, Texas, first noticed tins of Zyns on his software engineers' desks. His company, Hello Patient, develops AI-powered healthcare communication software. Observing their productivity, he initially bought pouches as a social media joke, posting a picture of a drawer filled with them captioned "We're hiring."
"Then, I accidentally got addicted," Cohen admitted. He now uses two to three pouches daily, favouring mango or mint. Diagnosed with ADHD, he finds the stimulant effect helps rein in his focus. His company now has a dedicated nicotine-pouch fridge.
This trend has reached corporate giants too. Earlier in 2025, nicotine startups Lucy Nicotine and Sesh installed branded vending machines at Palantir Technologies' Washington, D.C. offices. A Palantir spokeswoman confirmed the pouches are free for employees and guests over 21.
Productivity Hack or Gateway to Addiction?
The tech industry's embrace of nicotine pouches sits at a complex crossroads. Medical researchers view them as the least harmful nicotine option for smokers trying to quit, as they don't cause cancer or lung disease. However, the danger lies in creating new addictions.
Dr. Michael Fiore, co-founder of the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, warns, "I suspect most of these tech workers aren't users, so it could be causing addiction in a population that’s not currently using it." He notes nicotine can be a gateway to more harmful products and is not innocuous—it raises blood pressure, increasing heart attack and stroke risk, and can cause anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure) upon quitting.
The trend is fueled by Silicon Valley's hyper-competitive, AI-driven pace and its culture of bio-hacking. Many workers follow longevity influencers seeking an edge. Popular physician and author Peter Attia once mentioned using nicotine gum to "sharpen his sword" in 2021, though he later clarified this was not an endorsement, stressing nicotine is "highly addictive" and citing studies linking it to increased tumour growth in rodents.
The U.S. FDA has stated that allowing pouches to be marketed does not mean they are safe.
VCs Pounce on the Pouch Phenomenon
The business potential has attracted serious venture capital. Sesh, based in Austin, secured funding from 8VC, a firm started by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. Jake Medwell of 8VC, who has a pouch fridge in his own office, said interest sparked after Philip Morris International bought Zyn-maker Swedish Match for $16 billion in 2023. He has since fielded requests from dozens of founders seeking vending machines for their startups.
Lucy, another key player, is backed by Y Combinator and Greycroft. Its co-founder, John Coogan, previously co-founded Soylent, the techie meal-replacement of the 2010s. Coogan notes that while finance and construction workers are bigger nicotine consumers, the scientific debate around its use is uniquely Silicon Valley. "When I talk to a truck driver, they say this is great. They’re not talking about its half-life," he said.
Tech founder Zack Ganieany, who offers pouches at his office, cited caffeine's "long half-life" as his reason for switching to nicotine, claiming afternoon coffee disrupts his sleep.
Maxwell Cunningham, CEO of Sesh, started the company as a former chewing-tobacco user struggling to quit. While surprised by the tech industry's adoption, he is cautious: "I want to be clear, we can’t make any productivity claims."
As the line between performance enhancement and health hazard blurs, the nicotine-pouch fridge stands as the latest symbol of tech's relentless pursuit of an edge—a pursuit that may be trading short-term focus for long-term dependency.
