What We Learned From Our Harm Perception Survey

There’s a lot of noise around nicotine products right now, and for many adults, figuring out what’s fact, opinion, or somewhere in between isn’t always easy.


That’s exactly why we conducted our latest Nicotine Product Harm Perception Survey. We wanted to better understand how U.S. adults view smoking, nicotine, vaping, and smoke-free alternatives and where confusion still exists.


In partnership with Censuswide, we surveyed 1,973 adults aged 21+ across the U.S. What we found was interesting: many respondents recognized that smoking is harmful, but far fewer clearly distinguished cigarettes from non-combustible nicotine products, like pouches when thinking about risk.   

Key Takeaways
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  • 73% of respondents said vaping is as harmful as or more harmful than smoking cigarettes. 
  • 60.6% said nicotine pouches are as harmful as or more harmful than cigarettes.
  • 64.9% believed nicotine causes cancer.
  • 45.7% believed nicotine is the most harmful part of a cigarette.
  • 68.9% said they feel informed about nicotine risks.
  • 36.3% of adults aged 25-34 agreed smoking is “back in fashion.”   

One thing that stood out throughout the survey was the gap between confidence and understanding. While nearly 69% of respondents said they feel informed about nicotine products, many answers suggested ongoing confusion around nicotine itself and the role combustion plays in smoking-related harm.


We also saw clear differences between generations. Younger adults were much more likely to describe smoking as culturally visible or socially appealing. Among respondents aged 25-34, more than one-third agreed smoking is “back in fashion,” while 39.1% said they’re seeing more celebrities and influencers smoking compared to previous years.


That doesn’t mean smoking rates are increasing. But it does show how perception, culture, and visibility can shape the way people think about nicotine products today.


Another interesting takeaway was familiarity. Respondents were more likely to view nicotine gum and patches as lower risk compared to cigarettes, while newer product categories like nicotine pouches were viewed more cautiously.


For us, this survey wasn’t about telling adults what choices to make. And it’s not about claiming any nicotine product is risk-free.


It’s about understanding how consumers interpret nicotine information in the real world. Because when conversations around nicotine lose nuance, many adults are left trying to sort through mixed messages on their own.


At Nicokick, we believe adults deserve clear, factual, and balanced information so they can make informed decisions for themselves.