Dissolvable tobacco

Dissolvable tobacco refers to a class of smokeless tobacco products which dissolve in the mouth upon consumption. Currently, there are no dissolvable tobacco products on the market, due to poor sales and regualtory hurdles.

One of the two manufacturers of dissolvable tobacco products was Star Scientific, based in Glen Allen, Virginia. The company had two brands, Ariva and Stonewall. The company had looked to pursue the products as safer alternatives to traditional forms of tobacco, citing lower amounts tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). However, the restrictions imposed by the Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco Control Act prevented this, and the company had discontinued both products by December 31, 2012.

The other manufacturer of dissolvable tobacco products was the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Under the Camel brand, three products were introduced: Camel Orbs, Camel Sticks, and Camel Strips. The products were test marketed, beginning in 2009, in Columbus, Indianapolis, and Portland. In March of 2011, R.J. Reynolds shifted the test market to Charlotte and Denver. By the end of July 2013, R.J. Reynolds was still offering the products in Charlotte and Denver, but had significantly cut marketing for the products.

The failure of dissolvable tobacco is likely due to other innovations and product introductions occuring near the same time. Electronic cigarettes ("vaping") had begun to grow during this time, as well as an increase in the availability of snus products. With a trend toward tobacco-leaf free types of products, such as nicotine pouches and lozenges in 2018 and 2019, it is unlikely that dissolvable tobacco will reappear on the market.