Noel King

Yeah, well, RFK himself has been spotted using what appear to be nicotine pouches.

It's been reported, alternatively, that he's using Alps, which are Tucker Carlson's brand.

Some people have said it's Zinn.

Maybe he uses both.

That's a little unclear.

But he does seem to be a fan of nicotine.

He's also made some statements about how nicotine pouches are presumably safer than cigarettes.

I think that what gets public health experts hackles up is that they worry that it's sort of a slippery slope toward actively endorsing these types of products.

With that in mind, that nicotine really exists along a harm spectrum with cigarettes as being clearly the most hazardous.

Nicotine patches and nicotine gum that are used for helping people quit cigarettes, there's a lot of good evidence suggesting that these are really helpful and low risk.

Oral nicotine patches, the data so far suggests that it sits somewhere in the middle.

That said, it's sort of a question, I think, of why would you introduce a new health risk if you don't have to, right?

As you mentioned, there are a lot of other ways that people can boost their energy, boost their productivity.

It's understandable that people are looking for ways to do that and are sort of modern obsession with productivity.

But I think that it always befits audiences to kind of think about

who's trying to make me think that nicotine is good for me and what might their underlying motivations be.

That was Stats' Sarah Todd.

Miles Bryan produced today's show.

Amin El-Sadi edited and helped procure Zinn.

David Tadishor and Bridger Dunnigan engineered.