<p>One in five professional players who took part in a study commissioned by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) said they were using nicotine pouches, tobacco sachets (snus) or both, research showed on Tuesday.</p><p>The study, conducted by Loughborough University, surveyed 628 male players in the Premier League and EFL, as well as 51 players from the Women's Super League.</p><p>Researchers also interviewed 16 club performance and medical staff currently working in men's and academy football.</p>.Euro 2024: Witsel earns a surprise recall to Belgium squad .<p>"Over half of current users in the men's game indicated they want to quit over the next 12 months," the study said.</p><p>"Most players used legal tobacco-free nicotine pouches rather than tobacco-based snus, however, players often used the term snus to refer to nicotine pouches."</p><p>The study found that two out of five players had tried the pouches at least once.</p><p>Of the players surveyed who had used the substance, many reported elements of nicotine dependence, 53% in the men's game and 73% in the women's game, it added.</p>.Always a blue moon.<p>"The study's findings will be used to inform the PFA's own welfare and safeguarding programmes and to facilitate knowledge exchange with clubs and medical teams around snus use in football."</p><p>The study added that the estimates of usage are "likely higher than reported" due to players' unwillingness to disclose whether they are using the pouches.</p><p>"This research will help us ensure that the PFA's own support services, and those of club medical teams, are grounded in football-specific evidence and tailored to the needs of players," the PFA's director of player welfare Michael Bennett said.</p>
<p>One in five professional players who took part in a study commissioned by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) said they were using nicotine pouches, tobacco sachets (snus) or both, research showed on Tuesday.</p><p>The study, conducted by Loughborough University, surveyed 628 male players in the Premier League and EFL, as well as 51 players from the Women's Super League.</p><p>Researchers also interviewed 16 club performance and medical staff currently working in men's and academy football.</p>.Euro 2024: Witsel earns a surprise recall to Belgium squad .<p>"Over half of current users in the men's game indicated they want to quit over the next 12 months," the study said.</p><p>"Most players used legal tobacco-free nicotine pouches rather than tobacco-based snus, however, players often used the term snus to refer to nicotine pouches."</p><p>The study found that two out of five players had tried the pouches at least once.</p><p>Of the players surveyed who had used the substance, many reported elements of nicotine dependence, 53% in the men's game and 73% in the women's game, it added.</p>.Always a blue moon.<p>"The study's findings will be used to inform the PFA's own welfare and safeguarding programmes and to facilitate knowledge exchange with clubs and medical teams around snus use in football."</p><p>The study added that the estimates of usage are "likely higher than reported" due to players' unwillingness to disclose whether they are using the pouches.</p><p>"This research will help us ensure that the PFA's own support services, and those of club medical teams, are grounded in football-specific evidence and tailored to the needs of players," the PFA's director of player welfare Michael Bennett said.</p>