u/Free_Garden1486

apologies if this isn't the right place to ask this

i have some friends who use zyns and tbh the concept of a pouch is very appealing. well between being around them constantly and some other factors, i decided to pick up a can of caffeine pouches to try. im completely new to this. i went this route instead of using nicotine since it's addictive and all that. was i stupid for willingly trying a stimulant pouch? i love them and foresee them as being something i use daily. are they addictive in the same way nicotine pouches are? am i doing something that has a high likelihood of being destructive for my health later on?

background: i come from a circle where everyone drinks coffee and a lot of friends/coworkers either use nicotine pouches/vape

i don't dislike coffee but didn't have any interest in drinking it every day. i just started working a desk job and finally understand why people use stimulants. im in my early 20s and have never used stimulants in my life (aside from the small amounts you get through products such as ice tea and chocolate)

admittedly, nicotine pouches fascinated me. while im not anti-nicotine, my primary circle would frown on nicotine usage (nicotine = smoking addict lol even if it was pouches) so between that social pressure and not wanting to risk addiction given that nicotine has its downsides, i haven't tried nicotine pouches even though they're always around me.

anyway, back to my new job. there are instances where ive almost fallen asleep. its rarely exciting/stimulating. after 2 weeks of this job, i decided that i had to pick up a stimulant to help me get through the day. considering most people use stimulants through coffee and smoking, i didn't feel bad about doing so. that said, coffee was way too basic and uninteresting for my liking. energy drinks are a hard no for me. smoking/vaping carry far too many health/addiction risks + i am athletic. gum is okay but terrible when interacting with people. as stated earlier, pouches fascinated me.

i discovered coffee pouches were a thing. im in canada and as far as im aware, you can't buy them here (you can ship them here but that's expensive, especially for 1 can to try). well i had recently planned a trip to the usa where you can buy them in store.

i decided that id pick up a can and give them a try while i was there. they didn't carry any of the flavors i wanted to try but in the moment i decided to still get a can of a different flavor (vanilla).

as i drove back home, i put one in and gave it a try. ill be honest, there wasn't much flavor and it didn't give me any burn against my gums but it was a very relaxing and satisfying experience. i had previously tried have a piece of gum rest between my lip and gum just to get a feel before i got pouches but this was infinitely better. the caffeine didn't feel like it gave off a huge effect (slight boost, nothing major) but just the ritual of having a pouch between my gum and lip was very relaxing.

my question is, has anyone else randomly picked up caffeine pouches with no previous pouch/stimulant experience? am i making a major life mistake? i figured since it's caffeine the risk is much less than nicotine but unironically i might be using these daily. likely 1-3 per day.

just wanna hear some other opinions since i really have no one to talk to this about. im hoping this isn't a huge mistake but given that the pouches are made of coffee i can't foresee major issues especially if use is moderated and i don't keep them in the same spot all the time and i maintain good oral hygiene.

any replies appreciated, thanks