Brain/Craving Response to Smoking Cues After Oral Nicotine Pouch Use

Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) are non-combustible nicotine products that may reduce cigarette craving and smoking cue-induced brain activity, supporting their potential as harm-reduction tools for adults who smoke cigarettes. This within-subject, repeated-measures study will evaluate the acute effects of a single 6 mg oral nicotine pouch on subjective craving and prefrontal neural responses to smoking-related cues using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Participants will complete assessments before and after nicotine pouch administration following overnight nicotine abstinence to characterize changes in craving and neural cue reactivity.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 21 years - 55 years * Self-reported use of cigarettes within the past 30 days * Biochemical confirmation of cigarette use: o Carbon monoxide (CO) breath sample ≥10 ppm * Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score ≥5, indicating moderate to high nicotine dependence * Fluent in English * Willing to try an oral nicotine pouch * Willing to abstain from nicotine for at least 12 hours prior to each experimental session Exclusion Criteria: * Age younger than 21 years or older than 55 years * Biochemical evidence inconsistent with recent cigarette use: o CO breath sample \